White rice vinegar

White rice vinegar also known as bok cho, or shaojiu or lesser wine is a type of Chinese vinegar that is made from fermented rice. This vinegar is popular in China , Japan, and Korea. The Japanese and Chinese white rice vinegars are milder and sweeter than Western white distilled vinegar. There is no Western equivalent but should you need to, substitute with diluted white or cider vinegar. This rice vinegar was originally made from rice cooked with water and then treated with yeast to ferment the sugar with the grain. The fermentation produced an alcoholic liquid which was then converted to vinegar with the addition of an acetic acid producing bacteria. The result was a complex flavorful vinegar, which is not reproduced today. Use this or any vinegar in cooking and salad dressing, for pickling brines, sauces, or to add a dash to soups. Vinegar is essential in sweet and sour dishes. After opening this or any vinegar, store at room temperature.