Light soy sauce is a thinner, saltier condiment commonly used as a dipping sauce and flavoring in stir-fried dishes. It can also be used as a marinade for tofu and noodles and as a dipping sauce for dumplings and sushi. Consumers should read nutritional information for sodium content.
Light soy sauce is a condiment of Chinese origin made from fermented soybeans, water, salt and other ingredients. Unlike dark soy sauce, which is a thick variety of soy sauce typically made with caramel and molasses, light soy sauce is thinner and is more commonly used as a dipping sauce than the dark variety. Although light soy sauce usually tastes saltier than dark, this is sometimes due to the other ingredients rather than the salt content itself. Consumers concerned with their sodium intake should always read the soy sauce nutritional information before purchasing. In addition to serving as a dipping sauce, light soy sauces can be used as a condiment and as a marinade for sushi and other foods.
One of the most common uses of this condiment is as a flavoring in stir-fried dishes. It is typically added to a wok filled with stir-fried vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and snow peas, as well as meats, with the amount depending on a cook’s particular taste. Light soy sauce can also be combined with other sauces such as oyster, prune, or black bean to create a thicker, more flavorful dressing. Another common use is to sprinkle a few drops on a bed of steamed white or brown rice before serving, giving it extra flavor.
Because of its salty, full-bodied taste, light soy sauce is a popular choice as a marinade for tofu or noodles. Typically cooks cut tofu into thin strips and soak it in soy sauce overnight or a few hours before cooking. The tofu will absorb the sauce, giving it the salty flavor many crave. Similarly, steamed noodles can be dipped in light soy sauce before being added to a wok or skillet along with vegetables and meat.
Perhaps the most common use of light soy sauce is as a dipping sauce, in part because it has a smoother, less spicy flavor than its dark counterpart. Diners often dip the dumplings in light soy sauce with a small amount of minced garlic added for flavor. It’s also a standard dipping sauce for sushi, a Japanese dish of vegetables and fish wrapped in rice and seaweed. Typically, soy sauce is combined with a small amount of wasabi before a piece of sushi is generously dipped in it.
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