I tried finding the best Soy Sauce in the world.

The video embarks on an in-depth exploration of soy sauce, a beloved fermented liquid with a rich history and cultural significance. It addresses common queries about soy sauce production, its enhancement of flavors, and the diversity of soy sauce types across different Asian countries. The narrator shares their experience with over 20 soy sauce varieties, hinting at a comprehensive taste test and discussion on the best soy sauce for home use. The script also introduces the importance of soybeans in East Asia, their nutritional benefits, and the ancient solutions to make them more palatable and digestible, such as edamame, soy milk, tofu, and fermentation into products like miso and soy sauce.

This paragraph delves into the origins of soy sauce as a byproduct of fermented soybean paste, explaining the evolution of different soy sauce types due to regional and cultural variations. It discusses the influence of industrialization on soy sauce production and the differences between traditional and chemical methods of making soy sauce. The traditional brewing process is detailed, from the initial fermentation with koji mold to the final pasteurization, emphasizing the development of complex flavors through this method. The paragraph also touches on the chemical hydrolysis process, which shortcuts fermentation but may lack the depth of flavor of traditionally brewed soy sauce.

The script provides an in-depth analysis of the flavor components that make soy sauce taste so appealing. It explains the five core ingredients and the two primary methods of soy sauce production, highlighting the importance of variables such as the soybean-to-wheat ratio, salinity, fermentation length, and additional ingredients. The paragraph discusses the six qualities that make up the flavor of food, with a focus on soy sauce's unique balance of salty, umami, sour, sweet, and bitter tastes. It also explores the role of aroma in soy sauce's overall flavor profile, noting the wide range of volatile compounds that contribute to its distinctive smell.

The narrator describes a series of taste tests conducted to evaluate different soy sauces, including a sushi test, a fried rice test, and a dipping sauce test. These tests aim to determine whether the distinct characteristics of each soy sauce can be discerned when used in various culinary applications. The results of these tests provide insights into how the taste, aroma, and other sensory attributes of soy sauce can be affected by cooking and when combined with different ingredients.

This paragraph examines the cultural and personal biases that influence our perception of soy sauce flavors. It discusses how the variables in soy sauce production, such as fermentation age, soybean-to-wheat ratio, and salt levels, can differ significantly between countries, affecting the final product's taste. The narrator shares his own biases towards soy sauces with a more pronounced sour taste and encourages viewers to conduct their own taste tests to understand the fundamentals of the flavor profiles of different soy sauces.

The script concludes with a challenge for viewers to experiment with different soy sauces at home, emphasizing the importance of mastering the use of soy sauce to improve one's cooking. It suggests an experiment involving purchasing different types of soy sauce, conducting raw taste tests, and then using them in a dish to troubleshoot and balance flavors. The goal is to understand how to use the unique characteristics of each soy sauce to enhance dishes, regardless of its origin or production method.