Check out these tasty Chinese Black Vinegar Recipes, from sweet and sticky pork ribs to 10-minute hot and sour noodles.
Learn how to add oomph to your Chinese dishes using this versatile acid!
What is Chinese Black Vinegar?
Chinese black vinegar, also known as Chinkiang vinegar or Zhenjiang vinegar, is made by fermenting black glutinous rice.
It has a natural dark color that comes from charred rice grains.
What does it taste like?
It has a mellow, complex flavor profile, often described as fruity, sweet, and almost a little smoky.
If you've never tried it, it's similar to Italian balsamic vinegar.
How is it used?
Chinese black vinegar is essential for many Chinese dishes.
It's used in a variety of cold appetizers, braised meats, fish, noodles, and as a dipping sauce for dumplings.
1. Honey Garlic Pork Ribs
These honey garlic ribs get a boost of acidity and fruitiness from Chinkiang vinegar. They're juicy, savory, and full of honey garlic flavor!
Pork ribs are seared in a hot wok before simmering in a honey garlic sauce until tender, sticky, and finger-licking good. In less than an hour!
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When you don't know what to cook or eat, try these simple hot and sour noodles that can be ready in 10 minutes!
The sour flavor comes from black vinegar. It also has minced garlic, chili powder, sesame seeds, and chopped scallions!
This strange-looking dish, which doesn't look very appetizing at first glance, is super popular in China. It has a delicious, crunchy texture combined with a sour and slightly spicy vinaigrette.
Simply boil the wood ear mushrooms, then toss with garlic, chilis, and all the different seasonings.
Poached chicken with chili sauce, also known as Saliva chicken, is one of the most well-known Szechuan recipes.
A whole chicken is poached, chopped up, and then drizzled with a spicy and sour sauce made from Sichuan-style chili oil, black vinegar, cooking wine, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and green onions.
This is one of the most popular Chinese recipes, and rightfully so—it tastes delicious.
Every foodie influencer has their own version. Sometimes, the cucumbers are chopped up, and other times, they're intricately sliced into a spiral.
But, my favorite method is smashed, which opens up nooks and crannies in the cucumber, leaving more areas to be soaked by the delicious sauce.
The classic Sichuanese appetizer, Suan Ni Bai Rou, consists of poached pork belly topped with a flavorful, pungent sauce that is incredibly spicy and garlicky.
The dish is easy to make: poach the pork belly, make the sauce, and combine the two. Serve with rice and sliced cucumbers for one of the best recipes with Chinese black vinegar.
7. Chinese Eggplant With Garlic Sauce
This Chinese-style eggplant is deep-fried and then served in a savory garlic sauce.
The dish is visually stunning from the glossy red sauce, vibrant purple eggplant, and thinly sliced green onions.
It's easy to make a makes a wonderful side dish for grilled meat and rice.
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It takes about 35 minutes to prepare this delicious fish dish. It makes an excellent centerpiece for special occasions such as Chinese New Year.
In this recipe, tilapia is scored, dusted with cornstarch, and pan-fried until golden brown. The dish is then topped with a syrupy-textured sauce that balances savory, sweet, and sour flavors.
This recipe will teach you how to make better-than-takeout kung pao tofu at home!
The tofu is marinated in soy sauce and maple syrup, coated in cornstarch, and pan-fried until crispy.
I love the Sichuan flavors that come through in this dish. It's all thanks to Sichuan peppercorns and doubanjiang!
The spice and tang in this hot and sour napa cabbage stir-fry recipe are perfect. It's ready in 5 minutes and goes great with steamed rice.
For the best results, only use the cabbage stems, not the leaves, to avoid making it too watery. Cut the stems at an angle for better sauce absorption.
Also, make the sauce ahead of time in a bowl. When you start cooking, it only takes 5 minutes to stir-fry everything together.
This is a simple but delicious Chinese sweet-and-sour salad dressing that can be used on all sorts of vegetables and greens. The flavor is complex, robust, and well-balanced.
The key to this recipe is making garlic water to add a mild garlic taste. Just soak crushed garlic pieces in hot boiling water for 10 minutes.
12. Dumplings With Dumpling Sauce
This recipe features vegetarian dumplings with a quick and easy dumpling sauce.
If you just want the black vinegar dumpling sauce recipe, click the Jump To Recipe button to skip to the recipe card. Chinkiang vinegar adds a delicious, complex tang that makes every bite of the dumplings pop.
You can also add minced garlic, green onions, and sesame seeds to add extra flavor.
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Try this quick and simple boiled okra with a delicious spicy and hot dipping sauce.
To keep the texture and vibrant green color of the okra, immediately plunge it into cold water after boiling. This quick cooling method keeps the okra crisp and its green color vibrant.
Did you enjoy these Chinese Black Vinegar Recipes? Be sure to check out the other delicious recipes on this blog by checking out our Recipe Index.
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