Rice Vinegar vs Rice Wine Vinegar
There is no significant difference between rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar. Vinegar is a sour liquid used as a condiment and preservative in various cuisines, particularly Chinese and Japanese. It was initially called sour wine and was made from fermenting wine. Nowadays, vinegar can be made from any fruit or grain containing sugar. There are several varieties of rice vinegar, and rice wine vinegar, which often leads to confusion between the two.
What is Rice Vinegar?
Rice vinegar is made from fermented rice and is the same as rice wine vinegar. It is less acidic than western vinegars and has a sweeter, milder taste. Rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are used interchangeably in cooking. There are different types of rice vinegar, such as white, black, and red rice vinegar. These are used to add flavor to various dishes. White rice vinegar is typically used when a recipe simply calls for rice vinegar. Red rice vinegar is used in sweet and sour dishes, as well as seafood dishes. Black rice vinegar is used in dipping sauces and stir-fry dishes.
What is Rice Wine Vinegar?
Rice wine vinegar is produced from the action of dregs or lees of wine. There is also rice wine, which is a popular beverage in China, Japan, and Korea made from fermenting rice so that the sugars turn into alcohol. However, rice wine vinegar is not made from rice wine. In the case of rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar, the fermentation process continues until the alcohol becomes sour. The sour taste comes from the creation of acetic acid, but vinegar also contains vitamins and compounds not found in acetic acid, such as riboflavin and mineral salts, giving it a distinct taste. In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of rice vinegars and rice wine vinegars, which are sweeter and milder than many strong varieties made in China.
Key Takeaways
- Rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are essentially the same, both made from fermented rice.
- They are sweeter and milder than Western vinegars and are used interchangeably in cooking.
- There are different types of rice vinegar (white, black, and red) used for various dishes and purposes.
