consumption of vinegar and its health benefits – lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol level and improving blood circulation – have aroused much interest among the general public.
The acetic acid in vinegar has also been a food topic that is much discussed in China. It circles around how we can benefit fully from foods rich in calcium. Calcium is an essential mineral for maintaining healthy bone structure, the deficiency of which may lead to osteoporosis and other bone-related health problems. Vinegar contains acetic acids that assist the release of calcium in the food; it also contains minerals, such as magnesium, that facilitate the absorption of calcium by the body. Traditionally fermented vinegars high in acetic acids have caught the attention of not only householders but also entrepreneurs who spotted the niche markets of vinegar-inspired health drinks.
Due to the difference in both the raw ingredients used and the fermentation process, there is a wide range of vinegar available in China, and each has a distinctive flavour. They have been around for generations, and so people’s choice of vinegar is often an indication of from where they were raised. People from the provinces where the vinegars are produced consume their local vinegar with addiction and unparalleled loyalty.
The Chinese are particular about which vinegar is used for what purpose. Some taste the best as a dip, and others are used solely for cooking. When vinegar is used in cooking, it can be added at various stages depending upon whether it is the aroma or the acidity the cook wants to use. It can be added to the wok at the beginning of the cooking process for its acidity. Cooks often drizzle vinegar on the rim towards the end of cooking to release the volatile aroma molecules into the air as an announcement that the dish will soon be ready to serve. Aged vinegar can also be drizzled onto the dish after plating for both the acidity and the aroma.
There are four renowned vinegars in China. The best-known one must be ZhenJiang rice vinegar (ZhenJiang Xiang Cu, GIP). It is a rice-based vinegar from the JiangSu Province in the south. The rice cultivation in southern China sees its influence not only on the rice as the major source of carbohydrate; there is also a wide range of rice-based products incorporated into people’s daily diets. The rice-based wine, such as the ShauXing wine, is an example. The vinegar that uses the rice wine as the alcohol base is another.
This vinegar is closely linked to local diet in that young vinegar is used as a condiment, whereas matured vinegar is reserved for dips and for drizzling over cooked dishes after plating. For the locals, it is a natural partner to steamed fish, steamed dumplings, and noodle dishes. A well-known pairing with this vinegar is a dish of cured pork in jelly with the vinegar as the dip; the pair was one of the cold plates that were presented at the first Chinese National Banquet in 1949. Another famous match is with steamed crabs and the ShauXing wine. Young Zhen Jiang rice vinegar, a pinch of light brown sugar, and finely chopped or shredded fresh ginger gently warmed up in the pan can serve as a dip with steamed crabs, and when it is accompanied by lukewarm aged ShauXing wine, it is the definitive autumn and winter gastronomical delight.
ZhenJiang rice vinegar has a dark brown colour that turns darker as it ages. The method deployed in aging the vinegar is to store the young one in ceramic jars and expose it to the elements in the open air for as long as three to five years, or even longer. The first time I opened an aged bottle given to me by a friend from ZhenJiang, its unique scent of esters caught my attention. It explains why this vinegar is known in China as ZhenJiang fragrant vinegar. The sweetness accompanying the soft and mellow acidity on the tongue reminded me of the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena from Italy. The similarity between the two vinegars also
The acetic acid in vinegar has also been a food topic that is much discussed in China. It circles around how we can benefit fully from foods rich in calcium. Calcium is an essential mineral for maintaining healthy bone structure, the deficiency of which may lead to osteoporosis and other bone-related health problems. Vinegar contains acetic acids that assist the release of calcium in the food; it also contains minerals, such as magnesium, that facilitate the absorption of calcium by the body. Traditionally fermented vinegars high in acetic acids have caught the attention of not only householders but also entrepreneurs who spotted the niche markets of vinegar-inspired health drinks.
Due to the difference in both the raw ingredients used and the fermentation process, there is a wide range of vinegar available in China, and each has a distinctive flavour. They have been around for generations, and so people’s choice of vinegar is often an indication of from where they were raised. People from the provinces where the vinegars are produced consume their local vinegar with addiction and unparalleled loyalty.
The Chinese are particular about which vinegar is used for what purpose. Some taste the best as a dip, and others are used solely for cooking. When vinegar is used in cooking, it can be added at various stages depending upon whether it is the aroma or the acidity the cook wants to use. It can be added to the wok at the beginning of the cooking process for its acidity. Cooks often drizzle vinegar on the rim towards the end of cooking to release the volatile aroma molecules into the air as an announcement that the dish will soon be ready to serve. Aged vinegar can also be drizzled onto the dish after plating for both the acidity and the aroma.
There are four renowned vinegars in China. The best-known one must be ZhenJiang rice vinegar (ZhenJiang Xiang Cu, GIP). It is a rice-based vinegar from the JiangSu Province in the south. The rice cultivation in southern China sees its influence not only on the rice as the major source of carbohydrate; there is also a wide range of rice-based products incorporated into people’s daily diets. The rice-based wine, such as the ShauXing wine, is an example. The vinegar that uses the rice wine as the alcohol base is another.
This vinegar is closely linked to local diet in that young vinegar is used as a condiment, whereas matured vinegar is reserved for dips and for drizzling over cooked dishes after plating. For the locals, it is a natural partner to steamed fish, steamed dumplings, and noodle dishes. A well-known pairing with this vinegar is a dish of cured pork in jelly with the vinegar as the dip; the pair was one of the cold plates that were presented at the first Chinese National Banquet in 1949. Another famous match is with steamed crabs and the ShauXing wine. Young Zhen Jiang rice vinegar, a pinch of light brown sugar, and finely chopped or shredded fresh ginger gently warmed up in the pan can serve as a dip with steamed crabs, and when it is accompanied by lukewarm aged ShauXing wine, it is the definitive autumn and winter gastronomical delight.
ZhenJiang rice vinegar has a dark brown colour that turns darker as it ages. The method deployed in aging the vinegar is to store the young one in ceramic jars and expose it to the elements in the open air for as long as three to five years, or even longer. The first time I opened an aged bottle given to me by a friend from ZhenJiang, its unique scent of esters caught my attention. It explains why this vinegar is known in China as ZhenJiang fragrant vinegar. The sweetness accompanying the soft and mellow acidity on the tongue reminded me of the traditional balsamic vinegar of Modena from Italy. The similarity between the two vinegars also
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