Kecap manis

Kecap manis

What it is

The word travelled: Hokkien kê-tsiap, a fermented fish brine, became Malay kecap and then English ketchup, so a bottle of tomato sauce carries an Indonesian soy sauce's name. Kecap manis itself is closer to syrup than sauce — palm sugar can be half its weight.

In the kitchen

It scorches — brush it on in the last two minutes of grilling, not before, or the sugar blackens while the meat is still raw. Cut it with lime juice to stop the sweetness flattening everything.

Goes with

Palm sugar Garlic Chili pepper Lime Shallot Peanut Chicken Soy sauce

Same species

Chunjang Dark soy sauce Doenjang Douchi Edamame Fermented bean curd

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