Soup soy sauce facts for kids
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Guk-ganjang (Korean: 국간장), also called soup soy sauce, is a special kind of Korean soy sauce. It is made only from fermented soybeans called meju and salty water (brine). It's also a leftover product from making doenjang, which is a Korean fermented bean paste.
Soup soy sauce is lighter in color and saltier than other Korean soy sauces. People mostly use it in modern Korean cuisine for guk (soups) and namul (seasoned vegetable dishes).
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What Are Its Other Names?
Soup soy sauce has many different names. In English, it's often called "soup soy sauce" because it's mainly used for soups (guk). Many popular soy sauce brands use this name. Here are some other names for it:
- Hansik ganjang (한식 간장) – This means "Korean-style soy sauce." The Korean government uses this name.
- Jaeraesik ganjang (재래식 간장) – This means "traditional soy sauce." People use this name to compare it with "modernized soy sauce," which is more common today.
- Joseon-ganjang (조선간장) – This means "Joseon soy sauce." This name is used to tell it apart from "Japanese soy sauce." The "Japanese soy sauce" type was brought to Korea when Japan ruled the country.
- Jip-ganjang (집간장) – This means "home soy sauce." It's used for soup soy sauce made at home.
A Look at Its History
Koreans started making soy sauce a very long time ago, even before the Three Kingdoms of Korea era. A Chinese history book from the 3rd century, called Records of the Three Kingdoms, says that people in Goguryeo (an ancient Korean kingdom) were good at fermenting soybeans.
Pictures of Jangdoks, which are special jars used for making soy sauce, can be seen in paintings from a 4th-century tomb in Goguryeo. This shows how old the tradition is.
Later, in 683 AD, a historical record called Samguk Sagi mentioned that ganjang (soy sauce) and doenjang (bean paste) were prepared for a royal wedding. Also, in the 11th century, during times of war or hunger, ganjang and doenjang were given out as relief supplies.
Books from the Joseon period (like Guhwangchwaryo) even have detailed steps on how to make good quality ganjang and doenjang. Another book, Gyuhap chongseo, explained how to choose the right day to start brewing and how to store these sauces.
How Is It Made?
Soup soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans and salty water. The process also creates doenjang, a Korean fermented bean paste.
The main ingredient is meju, a brick made from soybeans. Here's how it's done:
- Making Meju: Around early November, soybeans are soaked overnight. Then, they are boiled in salt water and crushed. The crushed soybeans are shaped into cubes or balls called meju.
- Drying and Fermenting: These meju bricks are dried in a cool, shady spot for a few weeks until they are firm. After that, they are hung up or placed in a warm room with rice straw to ferment.
- Aging in Jars: In the first month of the lunar new year, the fermented meju bricks are washed and dried in the sun. Then, they are put into large clay jars called onggi (or jangdok) with salty water.
- Adding Special Items: People often add charcoal and chili peppers to the jars. These items help keep bad bacteria away. Some people also believe they help keep away bad spirits.
- Becoming Soy Sauce: As the meju ages in the salty water, the water gets flavor and color. This liquid is then boiled to become soup soy sauce. The leftover meju chunks are mashed to make soybean paste.
Different Kinds of Soup Soy Sauce
The Korean government groups hansik ganjang (Korean-style soy sauce) into two main types based on what they are made from:
- Jaerae-hansik-ganjang (재래한식간장) – This is "traditional Korean-style soy sauce." It's made using the old-fashioned meju and salty water.
- Gaeryang-hansik-ganjang (개량한식간장) – This is "modernized Korean-style soy sauce." It uses different kinds of meju (which can be made from regular soybeans, rice, barley, or wheat) and a saline solution.
Soup soy sauce can also be sorted by how long it has been aged:
- Haet-ganjang (햇간장) – This is "new soy sauce," aged for about one year. It's also called cheongjang (청장 (淸醬)), meaning "clear soy sauce."
- Jung-ganjang (중간장) – This is "middle soy sauce," aged for three to four years.
- Jin-ganjang (진간장 (津간醬)) – This is "dark soy sauce," aged for more than five years. It has other names like jinjang (진장 (陳醬), "aged soy sauce") or nongjang (농장 (濃醬), "thick soy sauce").
