How to Use Liquid Amino Acids
If you’ve ever seen a bright yellow bottle with two happy old men on it, you’ve probably wondered what Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids are. It is essentially an unfermented, soy sauce-like product made entirely from soybeans and water (i.e. no wheat) and delicious .
But if you don’t have wheat problems, liquid amino acids may not seem like the seasoning you need in your life. This is not necessarily true. I always have soy sauce and liquid amino acids in my fridge at any given moment, because although they are similar, they are not the same thing.
You already know what soy sauce tastes like: salty, rich and meaty. Liquid amino acids have the same taste, but are sweeter, richer and meatier, and slightly less salty. If you’re trying to avoid soy and wheat, there is a coconut version that tastes quite comparable to the Bragg brand.
Basically, it’s a good way to add umami without worrying about overdoing it with salt. In terms of salinity, I’ve found that soy sauce can get a little more aggressive when reduced, but liquid amino acids get richer and sweeter than salted ones. I use liquid amino acids in marinades, stews, soups, and stews to add meaty flavor and plumpness. I add them to onion sauce , cheese balls and do umami salad dressings. More recently, I’ve started mixing them with soy sauce to make the sushi less salty. In general, if your food is lacking this “something specific”, liquid amino acids will help give the dish its appearance.
Update 3/29/18: It has been pointed out that Liquid Amino Acids actually do not contain less sodium than soy sauce, but are simply deceptively labeled.