Dark soy sauce

Dark soy sauce (Chinese lǎochōu, "old" soy sauce) is the aged, thickened partner to light "raw" soy sauce — the same brew taken further and usually sweetened and darkened with caramel or molasses. It is a deep, glossy mahogany, noticeably viscous, a touch sweet and mellow, and less sharply salty than light soy. Cooks reach for it less to season than to colour: a small measure lacquers braises, red-cooked meats and noodles a rich brown, so a little goes a long way.