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Soya beans are one of the central ingredients of Japanese cuisine. They constitute the base of many distinct Japanese tastes, notably soya sauce and tofu. The English name for soya beans come from the Japanese word for soya sauce, "shoyu". Some of the most important soya products are as follows:
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Soya sauce (shoyu)
Soya sauce, or shoyu, is the most important Japanese condiment and is used in many Japanese dishes. Different grades and varieties of soya sauce are used for different purposes but historically, the difference varied along regional borders. These regional variations in shoyu flavorings are still evident.
Koikuchi: This Kanto variety is modern Japan's most common soya sauce. It contains similar amounts of wheat and soybean, giving it a strong, dark color and flavor.
Usukuchi: From Kansai, this shoyu is lighter in color and saltier in flavor. It does not alter the color of the dish as much as Kanto's koikuchi soya sauce and as a result, traditional Kansai dishes reflect this saltier taste and lighter color.
Shiro: A very light colored sauce used in dishes that the cook does not wish to discolor, such as sashimi.
Tamari: A Chubu variety that the area claims to be Japan's "original" soya sauce. Known for its dark color and strong flavor, it contains almost no wheat.
Many other regional and dish specific varieties of shoyu are available in Japan, as well as modern salt-reduced versions which are gaining popularity for health reasons.
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Miso
Miso is a soya bean paste used as the base in many Japanese dishes. The popular miso soup is basically made by dissolving miso paste in hot water. Like soya sauce, miso comes in a wide variety of colors (from light to dark) and flavors, (from salty to sweet). Miso tends to be classified according to its color:
Shiromiso (white miso): White varieties of miso are actually yellow and have a sweet taste.
Akamiso (red miso): Red miso tends to have a stronger, saltier flavor
Kuromiso (black miso): Even darker in color and saltier in taste, kuromiso is less commonly used.
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Tofu
Tofu is soybean curd, pressed into blocks as fresh tofu or processed further. It is a staple ingredient of Japanese cuisine, which offers many different tofu dishes using many types of fresh and processed tofu. Tofu is often an ingredient in soups and stews.
Deep fried tofu (aburaage and atsuage) is also used in many popular Japanese dishes, such as kitsune udon and inari sushi).
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Natto
Natto is a strong smelling, sticky, dish consisting of fermented soya beans. It is often eaten for breakfast with cooked rice. Natto is famous for being unpopular among foreigners (and many Japanese people), but also for being very healthy.
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Edamame
Edamame are young, green soy beans sill in the bean pod. They are usually boiled in salted water and served whole as a snack.
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English Links
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Soya
Information on soya beans and soya products
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