Chinese light soy sauce (shengchou)

生抽 / shēngchōu

Flavor and role

Chinese-style light soy sauce, mainly salty and pale in colour. It seasons stir-fries and steamed dishes.

Typical dishes and uses

Fried rice, stir-fried bok choy, mapo tofu, beef noodle soup, dipping sauce for dim sum

Substitutes

1 tbsp light soy sauce = 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (tastes slightly less salty and sweeter), or 2/3 tbsp Korean soup soy sauce + 1 tsp water.

Storage

Unopened: 2 years at room temperature. Opened: 6-12 months in a cool place or the fridge.

Main countries

China · HK · Taiwan

Used in this book

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Updated 2026-10-10