Famous Chinese vinegars

Chinese vinegars have a range of flavors, aromas and colors, but there are four basic types. Chefs recommend the right vinegar for various dishes.

Zhenjiang Xiang Cu 镇江香醋

Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar, also known as black vinegar, is dark, intensely aromatic with a mellow sweetness.

Made with glutinous rice, it is comparatively low in acidity, with a distinctive aroma. It is commonly used as a dipping sauce for hairy crabs and various dumplings. Its sweetness brings out the natural sweetness in crab, meat and other food.

Shanxi Chen Cu 山西陈醋

Shanxi aged vinegar, the most famous vinegar in north China, is dark brown, with a rich and intense acidity, smoky flavor and a lingering aftertaste. It's made from sorghum and wheat and generally aged for 10 years.

It is commonly used as a sauce for seafood or river fish, as well as making tang cu (sweet-and-sour) and suan la (sour-and-spicy) dishes because its intensity covers fishy odors and is not overwhelmed by strong spices and seasonings.

Sichuan Fu Cu 四川麸醋

Sichuan wheat vinegar is famous for the addition of more than 30 herbs, such as danggui (Chinese angelica), mint and cardamom during fermentation.

Because of its herbal flavor, it's not suitable for dipping but is mixed with other seasonings. It's commonly used in Sichuan dishes such as yu xiang rousi, adding complexity to the flavor.

Hong Cu (red vinegar) 红醋

This ruby red vinegar, made from red yeast and glutinous rice, is popular in Cantonese dishes.

The taste is not deep and lingering, but light and fresh. It's commonly sprinkled over shark fin soup and served with deep-fried chicken as a dipping sauce.

Classical dishes using Chinese vinegar

Song shu guiyu (sweet-and-sour fish)

松鼠桂鱼

Deep-fried mandarin fish is topped with sweet and sour sauce and sprinkled with crushed nuts. The sauce includes vinegar (white vinegar for not influencing the color), tomato sauce, and lime juice for a bright orange color and hint of citrus.

Xiaolongbao (steamed dumplings)

小笼包

Dumplings are filled with hairy crab meat and roe. When dipped in rice vinegar or Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar, the natural sweetness of the crab is highlighted, while the earthy taste is covered.

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