Kecap Manis VS Dark Soy
Kecap Manis VS Dark Soy is a easy Indonesian & Chinese recipe that serves 2. 15 calories per serving. Recipe by Chef Anthony Christopher on YouTube.
Prep: 5 min | Cook: PT0M | Total: 10 min
Cost: $9.74 total, $4.87 per serving
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Kecap Manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce, thick and dark, dominant sweet flavor)
- 1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce (Chinese dark soy sauce, salty with a hint of caramel, very dark color)
- 1 teaspoon Water (For diluting a tiny taste if sauce is too intense)
Instructions
Gather the sauces
Place 1 tablespoon of kecap manis in one small bowl and 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce in another bowl.
Time: PT1M
Observe color and viscosity
Look at each sauce. Note that kecap manis is thick, glossy, and deep amber, while dark soy is thinner, almost black, and less viscous.
Time: PT1M
Taste a tiny amount
Using a tasting spoon, dip a tiny amount of each sauce into your mouth. Swallow or spit out after tasting.
Time: PT2M
Record flavor notes
Write down the dominant flavors: kecap manis should be sweet with mild umami; dark soy should be salty with a faint caramel bitterness.
Time: PT1M
Match sauces to dishes
Based on the flavor profile, decide which dishes each sauce best complements. Kecap manis works well in nasi goreng, tongseng, and sate; dark soy shines in Chinese stir‑fries, vegetable sautés, and fried noodles.
Time: PT2M
Store remaining sauce
Seal the original bottles tightly and refrigerate. Label the bowls if you plan to keep them for later tasting.
Time: PT2M
Temperature: 4°C
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 15
- Protein
- 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Dietary info: Vegan, Vegetarian
Allergens: Soy, Gluten
Last updated: April 14, 2026








