The three main types of rice vinegar (mi cù, 米醋) used in Chinese cooking are white rice vinegar, black rice vinegar (or Chinkiang Vinegar), and red rice vinegar.
In this article, we focus on Chinese black vinegar, also known as black rice vinegar, dark vinegar, Chinkiang vinegar, or Zhenjiang vinegar.
(For more info on the other two types, check out their individual articles: White Rice Vinegar & Red Rice Vinegar.)
What Is Chinese Black Vinegar?
Chinese black vinegar (zhènjiāng xiāngcù, 镇江香醋) is made from fermented black sticky rice or regular glutinous rice. It can also be made using rice in combination with sorghum and/or wheat.
Originating in the city of Zhenjiang in Jiangsu province, it is quite literally black in color. It is mildly acidic, less so than a regular distilled white vinegar, with a faintly sweet flavor.
How Is It Used?
Chinese black vinegar is widely used in Chinese cooking.
It can be used to add acidity and sweetness to braised dishes like Chinese Braised Fish, where it cooks down to sweet black gold. It can also be used in dressings for cold appetizers and salads, such as our Wood Ear Salad, Tofu Salad, or Suan Ni Bai Rou (Sliced Pork Belly with Garlic Dressing).
It is also used as a classic dipping sauce for soup dumplings along with julienned ginger. It can add acidity to stir-fries as well, such as this Chinese Cabbage Stir-fry with Pork Belly.
When we’re too lazy to make a full on dipping sauce for dumplings, we drizzle black vinegar over dumplings as well. Some of us could even drink this stuff––lookin’ at you, Sarah!
Buying & Storing
Look for bottles with yellow labels marked Chinkiang Vinegar or Zhenjiang Vinegar at your local Chinese grocery store.
You may also be able to purchase it online, though it will be significantly more expensive (about double, or in some cases, triple the price). Store in a cool, dry place, like your pantry.
Substitutions for Black Vinegar
If you can’t find black vinegar, you can substitute white rice vinegar/rice wine vinegar, which is usually more readily available, even in regular supermarkets.
In a real pinch, you can substitute a bit of balsamic vinegar, though be careful because some balsamic vinegars can be very syrupy and sweet.
Our Favorite Dishes That Use This Ingredient:
- Shanghai Soup Dumplings
- Stir-fried Cabbage with Glass Noodles
- Suan Ni Bai Rou (Sliced Pork Belly with Garlic Dressing)
- Chinese Tofu Salad
- Wood Ear Mushroom Salad
- Chinese Cabbage Stir-fry
- Chinese Pickled Cucumbers
- Tiger Skin Peppers
If you have further questions about Chinese black vinegar, let us know in the comments––we try to answer every single one.
Andreas says
I love the black vinegar, too. I use it for the smashed cucumber salad, the pickled cucumbers and of course the “鱼香” (Yu Xiang) style dishes which are a favorite of mine.
I once saw a Chinese couple in their twenties carry half a dozen of those bottles out of the grocery store. I still sometimes regret not asking them what they where up to :-)
Sarah says
Haha I wonder what they were up to also!
Amy says
There is a dish made of boiled eggs, pigs feet, and ginger braised in dark vinegar, usually made when a baby is born. It’s made in huge batches, and given to family and friends. Maybe they were making that. Or, is that a different vinegar?
Judy says
Hi Amy, you will need sweetened black vinegar for the dish that you are talking about.
John Taylor says
Its lovely on fish and chips too.
Davis says
This stuff is so versatile and so good. I have two bottles on hand at all times.
Ton says
Absolutely true… I start using the chinkiang for chicken kung pao sauce but it has become an ingredient that I use often in sauce for dumplings or gyoza
Soy … I use ketjap manis
Chinkiang
Honey
Hot sauce
Some water
Ton