What's it called?
Red vinegar, red rice vinegar, red vinegar, hong mǐcù / 红 米醋.
What is it?
Chinese red rice vinegar is a vinegar that is red or pink color by adding red yeast rice . (Red yeast rice is rice, fermented by fungus culture Monascus purpureus). This vinegar has a low vinegar content and a mild vinegar flavor, a bit similar to red wine vinegar, but softer and spicier.
How to use?
Together with some thinly sliced fresh ginger as a dip for dim sum snacks. Combines particularly well with shrimp. Also delicious with fresh oysters, instead of the traditional red wine vinegar with chopped shallots.
Possibly replaced by red wine vinegar mixed with water, or just less.
Tips, tricks & recipes
What to buy?
 | Brand: Mee Chun country of origin: Hong Kong label: Red Vinegar, Vinaigre Rouge, Roter Essig, Red Vinegar,大红浙醋 ingredients: vinegar and rice. approximate price: € 1.09 (250ml) |
 | Brand: Pearl River Bridge /珠江桥牌 country of origin: China label: Red vinegar, vinrigre rouge ingredients: water, rice, sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, spices, coloring (E120) approximate price: € 1, - (500ml) |
 | Brand: Zhenjiang Hengfeng soy sauce and vinegar Co.. Ltd. country of origin: China label: Red Vinegar, Red Vinegar, Red Essig. ingredients: water, rice, sugar, red radish color, sodium benzoate. approximate price: € 1.05 (500ml) |
What is the best?
I knew a long time the only version of Chun Mee (left in photo) and I really delicious. The other two brands are a lot less tasty. The second bottle looks beautifully authentic, but the vinegar is disappointing: fresh, sour, dull with a fruity flavor. The third bottle of the renowned brand Pearl River Bridge is also not sweet or soft, but tastes spicy and salty. With a daikon / radish flavor. The vinegars are not dirty, but it does not resemble the delicate, complex, smooth taste that of Chun Mee.
NB. I thought once that red rice vinegar a little malt vinegar looks but that's not so. The malt was sharp, hard, appelig with wood flavor.
