When I was growing up,
I thought soy sauce was salty water
with dark coloring and some secret soy and wheat stuff
mixed in. That’s because my parents did not know any better
than to buy LaChoy brand.
Some of the cheapy stuff from China is not any better.
Oriental friends introduced me to real home cooked delights
that one never finds in a typical Chinese or Japanese
restaurant in this country. They even introduced me to
authentic ethnic restaurants.
I gradually learned that there is a tremendous variety in
Soy Sauce, whether made with added wheat (Shoyu) or without
(Tamari). Some connoisseurs spend as much time studying the
character of soy sauces as others do on wines.
Real soy sauce requires many months of fermentation and
aging to make, not a few minutes on an automated factory.
Some excellent choices are now available in the USA,
whether made here or in the Orient. Some are deliberately
un pasteurized, for health benefits.
My suggestion is to seek out good brands, then see if they
have reduced salt versions.
While you are at it, take a look at Miso as well, preferably
not pasteurized.
