Rice Vinegar vs Rice Wine Vinegar
There is actually no difference between rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar that makes them very distinct from one another. Vinegar is a sour liquid used both as a condiment and preservative. It has traditionally been used in many cuisines around the world, especially in Chinese and Japanese cuisines for centuries. The mere mention of vinegar brings to our mind a bottle containing red, black, or white liquid we sprinkle on rice and other Chinese dishes as a condiment and to make these dishes tastier. In earlier times, vinegar was also called sour wine and made by fermentation of wine only. But today, there are countless varieties of vinegar and any fruit or grain that contains sugar can be used to make vinegar. There are many varieties of rice vinegar as well as rice wine vinegar. People remain confused between rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar and feel they are missing out on something if the recipe calls for rice wine vinegar and they use just rice vinegar. Let us see if there is any difference between the two types of rice vinegars.
What is Rice Vinegar?
Rice vinegar, as the name implies, is made from rice that has been fermented. Rice vinegar is the same as rice wine vinegar. Rice vinegar is known as a vinegar that is not as acidic as western vinegars. It is sweeter and milder in taste. You have to remember that, when it comes to the world of cookery, rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are used as synonyms. There are different types of rice vinegar as white rice vinegar, black rice vinegar, and red rice vinegar. These are used to add taste to different types of food. White rice vinegar is what you should use if your recipe just says rice vinegar. Red rice vinegar is used in sweet as well as sour dishes. Also, it is used with seafood dishes. Black rice vinegar is used in dipping sauces and stir-fry dishes.
What is Rice Wine Vinegar?
Rice wine vinegar is a result of the action of dregs or lees of wine. Then there is also the rice wine that complicates the matter as many think of rice wine vinegar to be made from rice wine. That is not the case. Rice wine is a popular beverage in China, Japan, and Korea and involves fermentation of rice so that the sugars present in rice get converted into alcohol. On the other hand, the process of fermentation does not stop here and continues till this alcohol turns sour in the case of rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar. Much of the confusion stems mainly because of the fact that Chinese also make rice wine, which is low on alcohol, but nevertheless used as an alcoholic beverage.
In the making of the rice wine vinegar, it is bacteria that cause fermentation of wine and turn it sour. This sour taste comes from the creation of acetic acid, but the reality is that acetic acid alone or acetic acid plus water does not make vinegar. Vinegar contains many vitamins and compounds not found in acetic acids such as riboflavin and other mineral salts that give vinegar its distinct taste not found in acetic acid.
Over the last few years, there has been a manifold increase in the use of rice vinegars and rice wine vinegars that do not have much difference as both are sweeter and milder than many strong varieties made in China.
What is the difference between Rice Vinegar and Rice Wine Vinegar?
One thing to remember when you hear rice wine vinegar is to treat it as a vinegar made from rice only rather than made from rice wine, which is an alcoholic beverage in China. Both rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are considered to be the same.
• Fermentation:
There is not much difference in rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar.
• Rice vinegar makes use of bacteria for the fermentation of rice.
• Rice wine vinegar makes use of dreg or lees of wine to make it.
• Taste:
• Both rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar have a milder, sweeter taste than Western vinegars. They are also less acidic in nature.
• Uses:
• White rice vinegar is what you should use if your recipe just says rice vinegar.
• Red rice vinegar is used in sweet as well as sour dishes. Also, it is used with seafood dishes.
• Black rice vinegar is used in dipping sauces and stir-fry dishes.
You just have to remember that, in the world of cookery, rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are the same. These are names used for the same product.
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