Kecap Manis Recipe (Indonesian Sweet Soy Sauce)
Authentic kecap manis with hints of aromatic star anise, ginger, and cloves. This versatile sauce just happens to be vegan and gluten free if made with tamari.
Servings: 8 ounces
Calories: 45kcal
Cost: $1.50
Equipment
- mason jar
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce tamari or shoyu
- ½ cup palm sugar coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1 whole whole star anise
- 2 thin slices of fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 cloves
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a saucepan and bring up to a boil over medium heat.
- As soon as the contents of the pot are bubbling, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook the sauce, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes to thicken it.
- While the sauce is still hot, pour it through a strainer into a jar to remove the whole spices.
- Cool the sauce and store in the refrigerator. The kecap manis will stay good in the refrigerator for months.
Notes
✋ Stop the Boil: Don't cook the sauce on high heat for longer than needed to get it bubbling. Overcooking turns it into a thick soy caramel that might get lumpy. If this happens, cool the sauce, add a spoonful of water, and whisk or blend to smooth it out. Note that the flavor will change.
🧽 Strain for Smoothness: Strain the sauce through a fine wire mesh strainer after cooking to remove whole spices and achieve a smooth, velvety texture.
❄️ Cool Completely: Let kecap manis cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator. This ensures better quality and safety, as putting hot items in the fridge is not advisable.
Nutrition
Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.05g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 830mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.5mg