Dark soy sauce facts for kids
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| Type | Soy sauce |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | China |
| Associated national cuisine | |
In Chinese cuisine, dark soy sauce (Chinese: 老抽; pinyin: lăo chōu) is a dark-coloured soy sauce used mainly for adding colour and flavour to dishes. It is richer, slightly thicker, and less salty than other types of soy sauce. As the Chinese name lăo chōu (lit. old extract) suggests, it is also aged longer. It is often sweetened by adding molasses or other sweetening agents. Dark soy sauce is often used in stews, stir-fries, and sauces. It is used in dishes requiring colours, such as red cooked dishes.
Name
| Chinese names | |
|---|---|
| Mandarin | |
| Chinese | 老抽 |
| Literal meaning | old extract |
| Hanyu Pinyin | lăo chōu |
| Bopomofo | ㄌㄠˇㄔㄡ |
| Wade–Giles | lao3 ch'ou1 |
| Yale Romanization | lău chōu |
| IPA | [làu̯.ʈʂʰóu̯] |
| Cantonese | |
| Traditional Chinese | 老抽 |
| Yale Romanization | lóuh chāu |
| IPA | [lo̬u.tsʰɐ́u] |
| Jyutping | lou5 cau1 |
The Chinese word lăo chōu (Chinese: 老抽), meaning "old extract", is shortened from the word lăo tóu chōu (simplified Chinese: 老头抽; traditional Chinese: 老頭抽), meaning "old man extract". It contrasts with shēng chōu (Chinese: 生抽) or "raw extract", usually referred to as "light soy sauce" in English sources.
