Dark soy sauce

Sauce soja noire (lao chou)

What it is

The name lao chou, old draw, records the order of the vat: sheng chou, the fresh draw, is taken first, and this darker liquid comes off later after further ageing and a dose of molasses. It is the colour ingredient of red-braising, and it is measurably less salty than the light soy it keeps getting confused with.

In the kitchen

Dose it by the teaspoon and put it in early, into the hot oil or the braising liquid, so the sugars caramelise instead of tasting raw. Swapping it one-for-one for light soy is the standard failure: the dish comes out black and underseasoned.

Goes with

Chinese light soy sauce (sheng chou) Star anise Ginger Pork belly White sugar Shaoxing wine Spring onion Garlic

Same species

Chunjang Doenjang Douchi Edamame Fermented bean curd Guk-ganjang

Also used with

Mei gan cai

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