Condiment
Chinese black vinegar
香醋
Also called Chinkiang vinegar, Zhenjiang vinegar, black rice vinegar, xiang cu
A dark brown, aged vinegar brewed from glutinous rice with wheat bran and other grains. It is less sharp than wine vinegar and has a rounded, malty flavour, so it works as a dip and a seasoning as much as a souring agent.
Origin
Zhenjiang in Jiangsu province is the best-known source and gives it the Chinkiang name. Shanxi makes a darker, stronger mature vinegar from sorghum, which many northern cooks prefer.
Flavour
Mellow acidity, malty and slightly sweet, with a smoky, almost balsamic depth.
How to use it
Pour it straight into a dish as a dip for dumplings, often with ginger or garlic. Add it to cold dressings, hot and sour soup, sweet-and-sour sauces and braises in the last minutes of cooking so it keeps its aroma.
Storage
Keeps for years in a cool cupboard. It may throw a sediment over time; that is harmless.
