sweet soy sauce
See also: soy sauce
A thick, syrupy, sweetened soy sauce -- Indonesian kecap manis is the best-known version -- used as a glaze and seasoning in Southeast Asian cooking. It's sweetened heavily with palm sugar during production, making it far thicker and sweeter than regular soy sauce rather than simply a sweetened variant of the same thing.
Buying guidance
Check the ingredient list for palm sugar or similar, and expect a noticeably thicker, more syrupy pour than regular soy sauce -- a bottle that pours thin is likely closer to regular soy sauce than the intended sweet version.
Substitutions
- Regular soy sauce, simmered briefly with brown sugar or molasses -- approximates both the sweetness and thickness of kecap manis; simmer until it coats a spoon.
- Hoisin sauce -- similarly thick and sweet but more heavily spiced, so expect a different, more complex flavor rather than a clean substitution.
Tips & common mistakes
Its heavy sugar content means it scorches and blackens much faster than regular soy sauce over direct heat -- brush or toss it on toward the end of grilling or searing rather than early in the cooking time.
Storage
It keeps well at room temperature even after opening, unlike many condiments, since its sugar content helps preserve it -- just wipe the cap clean after pouring, since drips can turn sticky and glue the cap shut.