Anyone make homemade soy sauce?

[peskin]

I think I've seen homemade soy sauce being discussed on chowhound before...
Anyone ever make it?
I've made the soy cakes, let them mold, and now I'm letting them dry. Next step putting them in the vat of salted water in the sun.

Anyone done this before and have any tips?

I'm making 2 batches, one with white flour as the binder in the soy cakes, and one with rice flour as the binder in the soy cakes. Any reason why the one with rice might not work, or do you think my experiment will be a success?

[ricepad]

I've done it once, and I have a second batch fermenting now. Unfortunately, I've misplaced all my notes, so I'm not going to be able to give you a lot of advice....or any advice, really. I can tell you the first batch really tasted good, although seemed a bit watery. My current batch has been fermenting for about 6 months, and I'll be checking it in a couple of weeks or so. I'm using a plastic tub with a lid I've loosely placed on it to keep stuff out but which still allows it to 'breathe'. [I've really got to find my notes!]

[peskin]

Why six months? I thought one month in the sun was ok?

[ricepad]

Honestly? I've been forgetting about it sitting outside. And when I have remembered it, I haven't had the time to deal with it, nor the kitchen space to take care of it. So it just sits out there, fermenting away.

[peskin]

No chance you remember how much the water to salt ratio was, do you? Because I'm about to start mine in brine...

[ricepad]

(Notes...notes...where are my notes...?)

Until I find my notes, your guess is as good as mine, sadly. IIRC, it seemed like a LOT of salt. A couple of cups per gallon, maybe (Diamond Crystal kosher)?