What is black Chinese vinegar and why is it so popular in Asian cuisine?
Here at the editorial team, we love culinary secrets. That one secret ingredient for the perfect omelet, incredible pasta Carbonara and super fluffy pancakes, for example. Of course, we don’t keep those secrets to ourselves. That’s why we’re sharing another one with you now: black vinegar. What is this magical stuff from Asian cuisine?
Black vinegar is also known as black Chinese vinegar, black rice vinegar or Chinkiang. The latter name comes from the Chinese city where a great deal of black vinegar is produced. So this stuff originates in Chinese cuisine. It is used in all kinds of dishes there. And we can certainly understand why, because the flavor of black vinegar is truly delicious.
Black Chinese vinegar: smoky, caramel-like and complex
Black vinegar is made from fermented glutinous rice. Fermenting the rice creates the vinegar’s characteristic flavor. What can you compare it to? Not exactly to anything, in any case. It has something salty like soy sauce and something sour like rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar. Added to that is an almost smoky, slightly caramel-like flavor. Complex and dark: those are notes that describe the vinegar well. Sound vague? It really is a slightly mysterious ingredient with a highly distinctive flavor. A flavor you may never have tasted before, but that is so delicious.
Dip your dumplings
Black vinegar is fairly easy to pair with certain dishes. The sauce is, for example, divine with dumplings (which you can make yourself very easily!). Dress it up with some grated ginger, chopped spring onion and sesame seeds and you have a delicious dip. Also excellent: a marinade made with black vinegar, garlic and sugar. It gives your meat, fish or chicken an incredibly delicious flavor.
You won’t come across black vinegar very easily in the supermarket just yet. You’ll have better luck at an Asian grocery store (tip: Tjin’s). The best-known variety (Chinkiang Black Rice Vinegar) comes with a bright yellow label: impossible to miss. While you’re at the Asian grocery store, also look for tekka. This Japanese super powder is another real flavor bomb for your Asian dishes.
Also read:
- 25x our favorite Asian dishes (with recipes, of course!)
- 12 types of soy sauce from 4 different Asian countries
- The 11 best Chinese restaurants in Amsterdam
Sources: dunyong.com, kindofasian.com, Tjin’s, hero image: Instagram Dun Yong Amsterdam
