Soy Sauce Vs. Tamari. Fight!
Soy sauce vs. tamari. The question will always be asked: they look identical in the bottle — and act pretty similar on the palate. So which one should you dip you sushi fish-side down into?
Unless you look closely at the ingredients, you would never know that most brands of soy sauce contain roughly 80% wheat and 20% soy. You'd just assume it was all soy, right? Don't be disappointed, this is how soy sauce is brewed all over the world. The full name is a little clunky — wheat and soy sauce. So it just goes by soy sauce.
Tamari is a higher-quality version of the fermented brew of soybeans, roasted wheat and salt made from a richer liquid at the bottom of the fermentation barrels that is naturally gluten-free. With this elevated production process, you should be prepared to pay a couple of bucks more. But if you cook with soy sauce on a regular basis you should try a bottle. Some brands of tamari are certified gluten-free, for those avoiding even wheat contamination. But recent tests have shown the gluten content in traditionally brewed soy sauce to be just over 20 ppm, or just at the limit for a food to qualify as gluten-free.
Our advice: Dip your sushi into regular soy sauce owing to its lighter flavor and less clingy texture. Use tamari in this glazed pork tenderloin with Chinese plum sauce.
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