Substitutes for Chinese Ingredients

[DanM]

I am eager to dive into Fuchia Dunlop's Every Grain of Rice. There are two common ingredients that are holding me back. I have not been able to find a kosher certified chinkiang vinegar and shaoxing wine. What are some readily available substitutes for these ingredients? Or, if you know a source for kosher certified versions of these products, even better.

Thanks!

Dan

[Jason Perlow]

I am eager to dive into Fuchia Dunlop's Every Grain of Rice. There are two common ingredients that are holding me back. I have not been able to find a kosher certified chinkiang vinegar and shaoxing wine. What are some readily available substitutes for these ingredients? Or, if you know a source for kosher certified versions of these products, even better.

Thanks!

Dan

Shaoxing wine is relatively interchangeable with medium-dry sherry. No idea where you would get a meshuval version of that.

Chinkiang black vinegar might be tough. Maybe try a combo of regular white wine vinegar and balsamic. You will get the acid but the taste will definitely be different.

This is always a problem with cooking Kosher chinese food. The condiments just do not exist for the most part although the situation is much better than it was 10 years ago.

[hongda]

A general list of kosher ingredients.

http://appetiteforchina.com/blog/kosher-chinese-ingredients/

[Syzygies]

Chinkiang black vinegar might be tough. Maybe try a combo of regular white wine vinegar and balsamic. You will get the acid but the taste will definitely be different.

I just went into the kitchen to play with faking Chinkiang black vinegar. I get closest with mostly a good sherry vinegar, and some traditional balsamic vinegar. It doesn't take much balsamic to match the color, and too much brings in too much sweetness. With these ingredients, one loses the harshness that Chinkiang vinegar shares with white vinegar, but why not.

I've been cooking out of the British edition. She notes that deep frying is a restaurant technique and not everyday home technique. I was taught that one originally used rendered animal fat. Certainly, the extraction process for many vegetable oils don't reward contemplation, and require the resources of a factory. I often using organic palm shortening in place of lard. Mine isn't kosher but kosher is available. Compared to vegetable oil, and more so than lard (for which lard is famous), palm shortening can have dramatic effects on texture. I learned about it from my Thai teacher, who would use it more if it didn't cost so much. It does introduce a coconut note.

I make many of these substitutions not because I keep kosher but to spare myself some wretched tastes. I've never in my life found a Shaoxing wine that could compete with a good sherry; most I want to spit out. Rather than looking for exact matches, use related ingredients to discover flavor balances that please you?

[Jason Perlow]

I have both Shaoxing and Dry Sherry and have used them both in Chinese cooking at home. Sometime I even use both in a meat marinade.

[Mjx]

I am eager to dive into Fuchia Dunlop's Every Grain of Rice. There are two common ingredients that are holding me back. I have not been able to find a kosher certified chinkiang vinegar and shaoxing wine. What are some readily available substitutes for these ingredients? Or, if you know a source for kosher certified versions of these products, even better.

Thanks!

Dan

Shaoxing wine is relatively interchangeable with medium-dry sherry. No idea where you would get a meshuval version of that.

Chinkiang black vinegar might be tough. Maybe try a combo of regular white wine vinegar and balsamic. You will get the acid but the taste will definitely be different.

. . . .

Since both chinkiang vinegar and shaoxing wine are made from rice, not grapes (unlike balsamic vinegar), wouldn't those be kosher (apart from at Passover), unless the rice is likely to have been full of insects when it's processed?

[Ader1]

Ching He Huang:

Made from fermented rice, this earthy, strong aromatic vinegar comes from Jiangsu where it is produced in its capital, Nanjing. The taste is mellow and earthy and when cooked, it gives dishes a wonderful smoky flavour. Throughout China, vinegar is widely used and there are many varieties. Balsamic vinegar makes a good substitute. Available from Chinese supermarkets.

Shaohsing rice wine is made from rice, milet and yeast and aged for three five years. Great for meat and fish dishes - adds bittersweet edge and Chinese use it to rid of "raw odours" of meat/fish. Dry sherry is a substitute.

http://www.chinghehuang.com/page/basket

[liuzhou]

Made from fermented rice, this earthy, strong aromatic vinegar comes from Jiangsu where it is produced in its capital, Nanjing.

In fact, Zhenjiang vinegar is generally recognised as being the highest quality black vinegar and is made, unsurprisingly, in Zhenjiang, not Nanjing.

Zhenjiang vinegar (镇江香醋) is also known as Chinkiang vinegar.

I've never rated Ms. Ching.

Edited August 24, 2013 by liuzhou (log)