Sweet Soy Sauce

Sweet Soy Sauce

　　Tonghai Sweet Soy Sauce is a traditional famous product of Yunnan, renowned for its unique savory-sweet flavor that has been widely loved by consumers in both urban and rural areas across the province. Historically, the soy sauce produced by Tonghai’s “Diaodingzhai” was even exported to places such as Beijing and Hong Kong.

Ingredients (for 100 kg finished product): soybean paste mash 50 kg, brown sugar 14 kg, maltose 54 kg, salt 7.5 kg, spices 100 g, distiller’s yeast 200 g.

Production Method

1. Ingredient Selection: The ingredients used in making this sweet soy sauce include soybean paste mash, brown sugar, maltose, salt, spices, and distiller’s yeast. The paste mash should be yellowish-red-brown in color and have a savory-salty taste. Brown sugar from Panxi Zhuyuan is preferred. Maltose should be red and transparent, with a concentration above 50′Be′. Salt should be made from high-quality coarse salt.

2. Making the Paste Mash: First, wash the selected beans, soak them for 20 hours, then steam until soft. Mash the steamed beans, mix in the distiller’s yeast, press into blocks using a wooden mold, and ferment in a fermentation room for 15–20 days. After fermentation, break up the cakes, pile them up, let them sweat for 7 days, then place them in vats. For every 100 kg of fermented material, add 75 kg of salt and 100 kg of water, stir after soaking for half a month (and stir once a month thereafter). After one year of sunning and airing, the mature paste mash is ready. Boil the mature paste mash with water, then bag and press it to extract the soy liquid for later use.

3. Stir-Frying the Soy Color: Mix brown sugar and maltose with water, stir-fry until dark and shiny with suitable thickness, then remove from heat and set aside.

4. Boiling the Sauce: Combine the extracted soy liquid with all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the soy color and simmer until thickened to about 35°Be′. Then remove from heat, cool to 50°C, bag, and filter to produce the final product.

Product Features

The sauce has a reddish-brown, glossy appearance, a rich umami aroma, and a well-balanced sweet-and-salty taste. It boasts a delicious flavor, thick consistency that clings to the bowl, and a concentration over 35°Be′, making it highly nutritious. When used in cooking, it enhances the color and aroma of dishes. It also makes an exceptional and distinctive condiment when used in cold dishes, whether meat or vegetable-based.