Korean Cooking Ingredient : Soy Sauce – A Guide to Types, Uses and Best Picks
A lot of the Korean recipes heavily rely on soy sauce (간장, ganjang) to add flavour profile to a wide variety of dishes. You will find that it’s more commonly used in dishes than salt!
Korean soy sauce comes in different varieties with different uses and unique characteristics. If you are looking for which type of Korean soy sauce to use for your recipe, this guide can hopefully help you choose the right one.
Types of Korean Soy Sauce
- Guk-Ganjang (국간장 or “soup soy sauce”)
- Best for: Clear soups (guk), stews (jjigae), and
- Flavour: Saltier, lighter in colour, deeper umami
- Jin-Ganjang (진간장, all purpose soy sauce)
- Best for: Everyday Korean cooking
- Flavour: Balanced, slightly salty
Yes you have read that right, there is a dedicated soy sauce for cooking soups and stews in Korea. It seasons without darkening the broth. With the soup soy sauce you will tend to use less in a recipe since it tastes saltier than regular soy sauce.
If you plan to cook Korean food on a regular basis, soup soy sauce is worth buying!
What Brand and where to Buy Korean Soy Sauce?
If you’re looking for authentic Korean soy sauces, here are some recommended brands and places to purchase them:
Popular Brands of Korean Soy Sauce
- Sempio (샘표) : One of the most widely available and trusted brands in Korea. Offers both guk-ganjang (국간장) and jin-ganjang (진간장).
- Chung Jung One (청정원) : Another high-quality brand that produces various types of soy sauce, including all-purpose and soup soy sauces.
Where to Buy Korean Soy Sauce?
- Korean Grocery Stores: If you have a local Korean supermarket (e.g., H-Mart, Galleria, or T&T in Canada), they will likely carry a variety of Korean soy sauces.
- Asian Markets: Larger Asian grocery stores may also have Korean brands in their soy sauce section.
- Online Retailers: If you don’t have access to a local store, you can buy Korean soy sauces on websites like:
- Amazon (Search for Sempio soy sauce or Chung Jung One soy sauce)
- H-Mart Online (Available in North America)
- Other Korean grocery websites
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right Korean Soy sauce can take your cooking to the next level. Whether it’s a simple soup dish or a marinade with different layers of flavour, using the right ganjang will definitely enhance the authentic flavour of the Korean dish you are making.