Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a culinary liquid invented by the Chinese over 2000 years ago and is widely used in Asian cooking.  The three primary types are:

1. Thin soy sauce, also refered to as light soy sauce (not to be confused with the low salt variety also called "lite"), is the one most commonly used in stir frying, marinades and soups.  This is the one to use when a recipe simply calls for soy sauce.
2. Dark soy sauce has a richer, sweeter flavor, thanks to a longer aging period and the addition of caramel and sometimes molasses. Dark soy sauce is used to lend flavor and enhance the color of a dish
3. Thick soy sauce is sweeter and has a thicker consistency than dark soy sauce. Thas is due to the addition of sugar and molasses.  A little goes a long way.