If you've ever visited an Asian grocery or well-stocked Asian
foods section at a large supermarket, you may have stumbled across
Chinese black vinegar. If you were curious as to what it is and how
to use it, wonder no more. Black vinegar is a condiment that
warrants space alongside other vinegars, and is useful in a variety
of applications.
Black vinegar has often been compared to balsamic vinegar, and
it resembles it in appearance with its dark color (hence the name).
The flavor is complex, although it veers more to smoky than
balsamic's sweet essence. The condiment hails from
Chinkiang province, although there is a very different and less
common black vinegar from Shanxi province. It is
traditionally made from rice, but can also be made from
wheat, millet, sorghum, or a combination of these
grains.
To my admittedly Western palate, black vinegar's closet
analog is Worcestershire sauce. The condiment is used in many
applications, from adding depth to a braising liquid to serving as
a dipping sauce. The EYB Library can provide inspiration for making
use of little-known ingredients. Here is a handful of recipes that
use black vinegar in
many different ways: