For most Americans, the words “soy sauce” will bring about exactly one image: the ubiquitous red capped bottle found on tables at seemingly every Asian restaurant everywhere. In the United States in particular, people often think of soy sauce as either the universal condiment on the tables of Chinese restaurants or the brown liquid you mix with wasabi to give your nigiri a savory bath before you bite.
Kenji Ekuan’s famous red-topped Kikkoman soy sauce bottle holds only one brand, and one color, of the salty, savory liquid. Coming in a saltier light version found in the packets that accompany Chinese takeout and in a darker, more complex version, soy sauce can be used for far more than just dousing the rice that came with your sweet and sour chicken. With soy sauce starting to show up in sauces, marinades and broths, it is surprisingly versatile. In fact, sometimes, soy sauce isn’t a sauce at all.
Soy sauce powder is one of the new incarnations of this centuries-old condiment. Though liquid soy sauce has been around since at least the 13th century, finding ways to produce, ship, store, and use soy sauce is still evolving. Dehydrated soy sauce powder has existed for quite a while, but modern manufacturing and processing techniques are guaranteeing higher quality and consistency that can bring the flavor of soy sauce to unexpected places.
What’s Involved in Powdered Soy Sauce?
Silva’s soy sauce powder is made by 100% natural brewed fermented soy sauce instead of hydrolyzed vegetable protein powder. While any process that removes the water from soy sauce can result in a powder that can clump when reconstituted, using a quality powder is important for sauces that need to look as appetizing as they taste. If you get the right powder, though, the result is a versatile, tasty ingredient that can remain fresh and potent for long periods of time.
How is Soy Sauce Powder Used?
Beyond just seasoning a stir-fry, dehydrated soy sauce is showing up in spice mixes, rubs, and seasonings where liquid soy sauce could never find a place. Packaged dried foods like instant ramen can find soy sauce powder nestled in alongside other dried herbs and spices just waiting for some boiling water to bring the hearty broth to life. Asian-inspired cuisine is just the beginning for soy sauce powder. Everything from beef jerky to popcorn and party mix can now have that extra umami flavor people crave.
Soy sauce powder is increasingly being found outside of the customary realm of Asian cuisine. Marinades and BBQ sauces are now more likely to contain soy sauce powder instead of salt to add an extra touch of flavor and depth to whatever you are grilling.
As a dry seasoning, soy sauce powder can be kept far longer than liquid soy sauce. Many people will keep bottles of soy sauce for longer than they should, but powdered soy sauce can be kept fresh and stable for long periods of time. While it takes a long time for soy sauce to actually go bad, it can oxidize, darken, or pick up unpalatable flavors over time if left open long enough. The powdered variety, on the other hand, resists these changes and remains ready and fresh for far longer.
One of the great things about soy sauce powder is that high quality versions like the one made by Silva will reconstitute well in water. This means the same powder you are using to round out a delectable dry rub can be used in the seasoning blend of a ramen-style instant noodle destined for rehydration. Being able to use one SKU for many applications can help not only lower production overhead, but keeps flavor and quality consistent across many products in your line.
Experience the Difference
Food trends are always changing, and there is increasing pressure on producers to come up with refined, nuanced updates to age-old staples. As global fusion cuisine continues to develop and influences cross old boundaries, finding ways to incorporate complex flavors in unexpected places is one way to appeal to increasingly refined consumers. That is why Silva continues to work on producing the highest quality and variety in our products. If you are ready to start experimenting with some new flavors, contact a member of our customer relationship team or get some free samples of our products.