There are two main types of vinegar used in Chinese cooking: pale rice vinegar and black vinegar. In general, think of it this way: pale vinegar is for acidity, and black vinegar is for aroma.

Pale rice vinegar

米醋，白醋 | mǐcù, báicù 

Made from fermented rice wine, this unseasoned vinegar has a clean, fruity acidity, and it’s used for pickling, sweet-and-sour sauces, and for dressing cold dishes or salads. Although it’s less aromatic than black vinegar, it’s sharper and more intense in acidity, and ideal for uses where you don’t want the vinegar to affect the color of the finished dish.

There are many varieties available in Asian supermarkets. Japanese seasoned rice vinegars have a different taste profile so I recommend looking for a Chinese rice vinegar. My current favorite brand is Wan Ja Shan.

Chinkiang black vinegar

香醋 | xiāngcù

Black vinegar, also called “fragrant vinegar” (香醋 xiāngcù), is a dark brown vinegar made by fermenting glutinous rice with the addition of grains and herbs, and aged for months and sometimes years, similar to balsamic vinegar. This aromatic vinegar develops a deeper and more complex flavor than pale rice vinegar.

Black vinegar is usually used added to dipping sauces, used in vinaigrette-style dressings for cold dishes, or cooked in soups or braised dishes. The brightening acidity of black vinegar is a wonderful way to balance rich, fattier meets or panfried foods like dumplings/potstickers.

Why is it called Chinkiang vinegar?

The vinegar is famously produced in the city of Zhenjiang (Chinkiang) in Jiangsu province, from where it gets its name. You’ll see the iconic yellow label with 镇江香醋 (zhènjiāng xiangcù) on the bottle.

Other varieties of black vinegar

Black vinegar

乌醋 | wūcù

Wu cu (烏醋), “black vinegar,” is another variety of black vinegar that’s brewed using pale rice vinegar as the base, with the addition of vegetables and fruits (carrots, tomatoes, onion puree, etc.), juice concentrates, mushrooms, spices (such as cloves, cassia bark, star anise, garlic powder, etc.), sugar, and caramel coloring. The color becomes darker over the fermentation process.

Compared with white vinegar, wu cu is less acidic but more flavorful, and it’s often added to soups— the sharp sourness cooks off and leaves a wonderful fragrance behind.