For a brief period, Auckland supermarkets stocked a product known as "dashi soy sauce." I recall its unique and delightful flavor, yet it has now seemingly vanished from shelves.
Curious about its disappearance, I turned to the internet and discovered the page introducing a list of the "Top 63 Popular Dashi Soy Sauces." This means they have at least 63 kinds of Dashi Soy Sauce in Japan. When we visited Miyajima, I actually found the soy sauce infused with oyster extract being sold there, a tempting treat that I now regret not purchasing.
In the absence of dashi soy sauce at my local store, I have resorted to using noodle soup called “Men-Tsuyu” as a substitute for soy sauce. While most dishes are enhanced by this alternative, I pondered the experience of using noodle soup as a primary seasoning. Research revealed that both noodle soup and dashi soy sauce share similar ingredients, with the former containing higher levels of sweeteners like sugar and mirin.
Surprisingly, making dashi soy sauce at home appears to be a straightforward process. Given our frequent use of noodle soup, our supply of soy sauce never seems to diminish in our household. Perhaps it's time I attempt to create some dashi soy sauce for a change...
