Increasingly I am seeing recipes with black vinegar in them.
It seems to be a popular ingredient at present and not sure why I haven't ever bought it.
I guess it is the Chinese version of a good Italian Balsamic vinegar.
I am off to buy it today.

Do you use it and if so what for?

I liken it more to Worcestershire sauce in a way, or a split between balsamic and Worcestershire maybe? I obviously bought a bottle for something at some stage as I've have had a bottle of Kong Yen black vinegar sitting in my pantry for several years - how long does it keep I wonder? I've used about a quarter of a cup of it, but I have no idea what I used it for! I'd love some recipes to use it up Helen!
Regards,
Dawn.

I have a delicious pork recipe (Chinese) that uses black vinegar. It’s the only recipe I’ve got with it in though and it uses only half a tablespoon so I didn’t buy a bottle of black vinegar for it – after reading all about what black vinegar was I subbed in half a tablespoon of balsamic plus a pinch of smoked paprika (black vinegar apparently has a smoked component to it).

Here’s the recipe, based on Rick Stein’s Hong Shao Rou (Red-Cooked Pork). For the soy sauces, I just used 4 tbspns of Megachef gluten-free soy sauce. If you haven’t got the rock sugar, just sub in 2 tbspns of normal white sugar.

1 tb evoo
1 small onion, diced
8g grated fresh ginger root
1 star anise
½ tspn ground cinnamon powder
500g pork belly, cubed
3 tb dark soy sauce
1 tb light soy sauce
3 tb Chinese rice wine
40g rock sugar
½ tb black vinegar

Heat oil in pan, add onion and ginger and slowly saute until golden brown and fragrant. Add star anise and cinnamon, saute briefly. Add pork and quickly sear outside. Add both soy sauces, rice wine, rock sugar and enough water to cover the meat. Cover pan, lower heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add vinegar; simmer a further 15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to around 30% of original volume. Taste for seasoning, add optional ½ tspn salt. Turn up heat to quickly reduce sauce until it reaches a syrupy consistency and thickly coats the meat (this takes about 15 mins). Serve immediately.

I use Chinkiang black vinegar often; the brand I have at present is Gold-Plum. It's important to get Chinkiang as it has a distinctive flavour and there are other black vinegars that are just like malt vinegar.

Here's a recipe I've been making a lot lately:

Sweet Pork Belly with Black Vinegar


(to serve 3 - 4 with plain steamed bok choy/tatsoi/broccoli and steamed rice)

1 kg piece of pork belly with skin, preferably boneless
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp Shaoxing wine
4 tsp light soy sauce
5 tab peanut oil
2/3 c soft brown sugar
8 tab Chinkiang black vinegar
8 spring onions
big bunch coriander

Mix together the salt, caster sugar, Shaoxing, soy sauce and 1 tab of the oil.   Slice the pork belly in 3cm slices and marinate in the mixture at least 2 hours or overnight.

Remove pork from marinade and pat dry with paper towels.

In a lidded wok, large sauté pan or saucepan heat the rest of the oil over a high heat.   Fry the pork in batches to brown well on all sides.   Be careful as the skin might spit.   Return pork to pan, lower heat, add sugar, vinegar and 750 ml water.  Bring to the boil, cover and simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hours until the pork is tender and the skin soft.   Check liquid level occasionally but there should be plenty.

When the pork is tender remove to a warm serving dish, cover and keep warm in a low oven.   Pour the liquid into a jug and leave for 10 min for fat to rise.   Remove fat, return liquid to pan and boil hard to reduce to about 1 1/2c of syrupy sauce.

Slice spring onions thinly and chop coriander roughly.

Pour sauce over pork,  pile spring onions and coriander on top to serve.

Here's another recipe:

Bok Choy with Black Vinegar

Serves 6
3 tab oil
½ tab slivered ginger
1 kg bok choy, sliced 4cm
1 1/2 tab black vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tab Shaoxing wine
1 tab water
1 tab slivered Chinese ham or lap cheung

Mix vinegar, sugar, salt and wine. Heat oil and stir-fry bok choy and ginger. When wilted add mixture and stir-fry until evaporated. Add ham/sausage and stir-fry 1 min.

Mmmmm I think I will try it - would it work on a salad? instead of balsamic?
Vanessa

Vanessa I'm yet another of those who bought it for one recipe and now has a nearly full bottle lying around, so I'm no expert, but I recall when trying it that it was a pretty strong flavour and might overwhelm a salad.

It works as part of an Asian flavoured cabbage salad, with sesame oil and ginger, but I wouldn't try to use it to replace balsamic vinegar in a European salad. Best to leave it to its natural partners I think rather than force it into some sort of fusion dish.

Thanks for the heads up, it sounds better for Asian inspired meals.
Vanessa