An intensely dark brown, syrupy-thick Indonesian sauce commonly used in Indonesian cooking similar to, but with a sweeter, more complex flavor than, soy sauce. Kecap manis is sweetened with palm sugar and seasoned with various ingredients, which generally include garlic and Star Anise. It's used in marinades, as a flavoring in various Indonesian dishes and as a condiment. If unavailable, it can be approximated by simmering ½ cup (125 ml) soy sauce with 2 tablespoons each of molasses and dark brown sugar until the sugar dissolves.