Do you add soy sauce when cooking? If you do, do you know that many you can use Tamari instead of soy sauce? Well, Tamari may be unfamiliar for you. Well, it is definitely okay since Tamari is originated in Japan. Tamari is one of natural food pantry staples besides soy sauce. You will discover the information about Tamari, including is Tamari gluten free.

What is Tamari?

First of all, Tamari is not the same as soy sauce. No matter how they looked, they are not the same. People often use Tamari and soy sauce interchangeably. Well, since they are not the same, Tamari cannot be used as various as soy sauce. Tamari is generally tied with Japanese people and culture, while soy sauce is more common in Chinese. Comparing Tamari and soy sauce, they have several differences. Tamari is thicker and not as salty as soy sauce. It is kind of fermented soy sauce that contains less wheat though it depends on the brand. Containing less wheat means it is gluten free (is Tamari gluten free will be explained later). It is usually used in both Asian and non-Asian cooking. Tamari gives full, savory, umami flavor to the cooking.

How Can It Be Different?

Although they can be used interchangeably, they are different. It is because the processes to make Tamari and soy sauce is different, even though they are made from fermented soybeans.

Soy sauce, generally, is made by cooking soybeans along with roasted wheat. Other grains may also be included. The ratio of soybeans and the wheat is usually 50/50. After being cooked, it is added to a salty brine to brew. Then, it is left for a period of time to ferment. From the mixture, the dark brown liquid is extracted and become soy sauce you usually know.

On the contrary, Tamari is made quite differently. Tamari is the liquid by product which forms when making miso paste. For you who is not familiar with Miso, Miso is a paste-like seasoning from Japanese. It also derives from fermented soybeans. The difference lies in the adding of wheat and other grains. A little amount or even zero wheat is added to the mixture. Therefore, it is likely to be gluten free (now you know is Tamari gluten free). It can be used by people who have gluten intolerance.

Is Tamari gluten free for real?

Although it is likely to be gluten free, you have to ensure it by reading the label. Some brands still use wheat, though in a small amount, in the process of making Tamari. The best way to find out is by going for Tamari which has “gluten-free” on the label. If you have a gluten intolerance, be careful and always pay attention to the label before using it.

Is Tamari gluten free? Yes, it can be, but Tamari does not ALWAYS come in gluten free. It depends on which brands produced the product. If you want to find Tamari, you can find it easily on Asian-section on big grocery shop. It will be likely there.

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