Nước Tương Tamari Nguyên Dương is a traditionally fermented soy sauce produced by Thuần Chay Gò Công in Vietnam’s Tiền Giang Province. Production began in 2005 when owner Lê Kim Sơn prepared the first batch using approximately 200 kilograms of soybeans. Due to the three-year maturation period, the first finished product was tested and released for sale in 2008. The sauce is made from soybeans, sea salt, water, and a fermentation culture without the addition of wheat. The soybeans are first cooked and prepared for fermentation, after which the mixture is left to mature in containers exposed to local climatic conditions. During the approximately 36-month fermentation period, it is stirred regularly to ensure even maturation. The producer traditionally uses collected and settled rainwater because chlorinated water can interfere with the fermentation culture. Extended maturation gives the sauce a very dark color, dense texture, and pronounced aroma of fermented soybeans. Its flavor is intensely salty and full-bodied, with mild natural sweetness and a complex finish. The sauce is used in small quantities as an accompaniment to rice, vegetables, soups, and other dishes. It can also be served as a dipping sauce or used as a seasoning in cooking, dressings, and marinades.
Producer
Thuần Chay Gò Công is a Vietnamese producer of fermented soybean products based in the Gò Công Đông district of the Mekong Delta. Its production facility is located in Tân Tây commune in Tiền Giang Province. The company specializes in soy sauces and fermented pastes intended for vegetarian diets. Production is based on a traditional manual fermentation process that lasts more than 36 months for certain products. The primary ingredients are soybeans, sea salt, and water, while red beans and brown glutinous rice are also used to make the fermented paste. During maturation, the products are exposed to natural temperature fluctuations, sunlight, and humidity. This process contributes to their pronounced aroma, dark color, and complex balance of salty and sweet flavors. Thuần Chay Gò Công is a small regional producer whose identity is built around extended fermentation and the preservation of traditional soybean-processing methods.