The term black vinegar refers to any types of dark-colored vinegar used in Chinese cuisine.
One type of Chinese "black vinegar" is represented by Chinkiang vinegar and similar condiments from southern China.[1] The condiment is an inky-black vinegar aged for a malty, woody, and smoky flavor.[2][3] It is made from rice (usually glutinous),[4]orsorghum, or in some combination of those, sometimes including wheat and millet.[5]
The other important type of Chinese "black vinegar" is the mature vinegar (simplified Chinese: 老陈醋; traditional Chinese: 老陳醋; pinyin: lǎo chéncù) from the central plainsofNorthern China, particularly in the Shanxi province.[6] It is made from sorghum, peas, barley, bran and chaff and has a much stronger smoky flavor than rice-based black vinegar. It is popular in the north of China as a dipping sauce, particularly for dumplings.
There is also the Japanese kurozu, a somewhat lighter form of black vinegar, made just from rice.
According to existing written records, the ancient Chinese laborers used wine as a leavening agent to ferment and brew vinegar. East Asian vinegar originated in China, and there are at least three thousand years of documented history of making vinegar. In ancient China, "vinegar" was called "bitter wine," which also indicates that "vinegar" originated from "wine".[7]
Some[who?] claim that black vinegar has numerous medicinal properties,[8] such as a tonic which may lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.[2][5]
Black vinegar has been used as a full-flavored but less expensive alternative to traditional balsamic vinegar.[3][4]
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