Soy sauce originated in the Orient around 2500 years ago. To make soy sauce, crushed soya beans are combined with wheat and a yeast-based starter culture. This mixture is known as Koji, then salt and water added and the brew ferments for up to six months while the soy sauce develops its colour and rich flavour.

There are different types of soy sauce: they can be light to dark, thick or thin, salty or sweet. As a general rule, the light varieties tend to be salty, while the darker ones are heavier with a more rounded flavour. The lighter soy sauces are best used in salad dressings and clear soups, whilst the darker varieties are very good in stirfries, noodle dishes, sauces and marinades. I often use them myself in vegetable stews as they add distinctive meaty flavour.

When you buy soy sauce, always looked out for the 'naturally brewed' variety as many of the sauces that you can buy are actually chemically prepared, or non brewed, which takes just a few days to produce and uses hydrochloric acid, together with added flavours such as corn syrup, caramel colour and salt. The end result of this process is the soy sauce, which is very salty, and lacks the flavour of the traditionally fermented varieties.

Shoya is another term, for Japanese Soy sauce.