Frying, stir-frying, sautéing, and deep-frying mainly use salt, but the five flavors are harmonized with vinegar taking precedence. Vinegar plays a pivotal role in culinary seasoning. Xie Wenmei, Secretary-General of the Gourmet Nutrition Professional Committee of the Chinese Cuisine Association, said that there are many varieties of edible vinegar, such as rice vinegar, aged vinegar, smoked vinegar, aromatic vinegar, white vinegar, and fruit vinegar. When cooking dishes, different types of edible vinegar should be chosen according to the color, flavor, and nutritional combination of the dish.
Aromatic Vinegar
Primarily made from grain with a unique brewing process. It is often used in dishes with lighter colors where the sourness should not be too prominent, such as cold salads and marinated fish slices. Additionally, when cooking seafood or dipping crab, shrimp, and other seafood, adding aromatic vinegar or smoked vinegar can help remove the fishy flavor, enhance the umami, and inhibit bacteria.
Aged Vinegar
The brewing of aged vinegar requires a long fermentation process, during which a small amount of alcohol reacts with organic acids to form aromatic substances. It has a rich aroma and a heavier flavor. It is commonly used in dishes with darker colors where a strong sourness is desired, such as hot and sour soup and catfish braised in vinegar. Of course, it is also indispensable for eating wheat-based foods like dumplings and buns to cut through the grease and provide a refreshing taste.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar is brewed from high-quality rice as its main ingredient. In addition to its special delicate fragrance, the sugars produced during fermentation give it a light sweetness. The liquid is a transparent red and is often mixed with sugar and white vinegar to make a sweet and sour brine for pickles, such as spicy and sour cucumbers. When used as a seasoning for hot dishes, it is often mixed with wild chili paste to create a hot and sour sauce for dishes like sour soup fish. Furthermore, when making pork rib soup, adding a small amount of rice vinegar or smoked vinegar helps release calcium from the bones, making the calcium in the food more easily absorbed.
Fruit Vinegar (such as apple vinegar, grape vinegar, pear vinegar)
Mostly brewed from certain fruits and has certain health benefits.
Regular consumption of vinegar can promote the absorption of calcium and inorganic salts, soften cellulose, reduce the loss of vitamins C and B, lower blood pressure, soften blood vessels, reduce cholesterol accumulation, and help prevent cardiovascular diseases. However, patients with stomach ulcers should consume it with caution.