Are you fond of Japanese or Asian cooking, especially when it comes to sushi? Then you must know vinegar is a favorite ingredient in many Japanese kitchens. However, there are many different types of vinegar and each one has its own unique taste and character.
In this article I’ll be talking about the two most common types of vinegar used in sushi, sushi and rice vinegar. Each changes the actual taste of your food, so understanding them a bit more clearly will help you pair the right vinegar to the right dish.
TIP: One way to “know” the two apart is to remember that Sushi Vinegar is…
Rice Vinegar + Salt + Sugar (+ sometimes Sake) = Sushi Vinegar.
Is Sushi Vinegar the Same as Rice Vinegar?
What is the difference between sushi and rice vinegar? Before knowing the answer to this question, you have to understand the history and use of rice vinegar. Sushi is the most famous dish of oriental restaurants and the more important ingredient of sushi is rice vinegar. It gives the right flavor and texture to sushi. It gives a pale color and has a mild taste, made by the fermentation process.
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It’s not a specific ingredient for rice vinegar but you can also use it in different products such as salad dressings, dips, as well as in sauces.
Sushi vinegar is no different although it is made by seasoning rice vinegar, by the addition of sugar, salt, and sake. Essentially, the prime difference between sushi and rice vinegar is only the seasonings used to make sushi vinegar.
This also means if you have some rice vinegar on hand, but you want sushi vinegar, you can just make it yourself by adding a few ingredients to it.
The sushi vinegar vs. rice vinegar confusion is not very complex. There is a very simple way to learn the difference, i.e. sushi vinegar = rice vinegar + seasoning (salt, sugar, and sake).
Once you have learned this, there is no going back into wondering which one is more suitable to use. And if you want a hotter flavor, try adding a bit of wasabi!
What is Sushi Vinegar?
Sushi vinegar is basically rice vinegar that has been jazzed up with a few additional ingredients. These include salt and sugar to give it a strong as well as sweet flavor, plus some additional ingredients depending on the brand or manufacturer, similar to other sauces like eel sauce. It is also called rice-based liquid.
Normally, rice is the base of Asian vinegar. Cider vinegar can also be used but rice gives a more traditional Asian flavor to your menu.
Another type of rice (Sake and Kelp) can also be used as an option. Heat the sake and kelp for ten minutes without boiling the mixture. During the cooking phase, the sake will evaporate and leave a slight flavor while making the kelp more like a solid rice form.
After removing from the heat, let it entirely cool down. The sake and kelp has a very slight flavor but you can add things like sugar and salt to make the taste stronger.
Sushi vinegar is mostly used for salad dressings or sometimes in rice. But it can work as a substitute for rice vinegar in a variety of dishes.
What is Rice Vinegar?
It is made of fermented rice. The sugars in rice are converted to alcohol (rice wine) and then, through a bacteria-laden second fermentation process, into the acid we know as vinegar.
The result is typically far less acidic and milder than pure distilled white vinegar or those made from grape-based wine or malt, making it a subtle addition to salad dressings, pickles, marinades, or splashed lightly over sautéed vegetables.
Can we use Sushi vinegar instead of rice vinegar?
In the settling of sushi vinegar vs rice vinegar differences, the most asked question is sushi vinegar can be used instead of rice vinegar. As we know that, there is a slight difference in composition between sushi and rice vinegar.
You can use sushi vinegar as an alternative in the absence of rice vinegar.
Maybe, utilizing sushi vinegar rather than rice vinegar might be better because while utilizing rice vinegar, you would be needed to add sugar just as salt to accomplish the right kinds of prepared rice.
However, since sushi vinegar as of now has salt and sugar, you can just add it and can enjoy your prepared rice without going through the issue of adding something else.
The traditional flavors of every fixing in the dish have a significant effect in building the personality of that dish. Also, if some time or another you end up running out of rice vinegar while making sushi at home, use sushi vinegar rather because it won’t modify the traditional flavors of your dish.
Is Rice Vinegar Good for You?
Rice vinegar is mostly used in Asian foods and gives you a light sweet and sour taste. It is obtained by fermenting rice in water, then the remaining alcohol is again fermented until it becomes acetic acid. You can use this sour liquid in all kinds of different dishes, but especially for sushi.
Rice vinegar is more acidic like other types of vinegar. And it has many health benefits, but it does come with a few disadvantages. This comes from the fermentation process.
Rice Vinegar Nutritional Information
A one-tablespoon serving of rice vinegar contains:
- Calories: 0
- Protein: Less than 1 gram
- Fat: Less than 1 gram
- Carbohydrates: Less than 1 gram
- Fiber: Less than 1 gram
- Sugar: Less than 1 gram
Rice vinegar also contains:
Vinegar is a good source of antioxidants. High amount of antioxidants is present in dark vinegar as compared to lighter one; reason is they are less refined. Black rice vinegar helps to reduce the damage of cells in your body.
Health Benefits of Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar is a good source of vitamins and minerals. Although, the very viewpoints that make vinegar so strong can likewise make unexpected problems for individuals with specific ailments.
A research has found a number of health benefits to drinking or eating rice vinegar.
Control Blood Sugar
Blood sugar level affect by all types of vinegar. It may help to control diabetes, if consuming as a salad dressing or with other combination.
Lower Cholesterol Levels
It may reduce your cholesterol level, if vinegar from acetic acid used regularly. A researched based study suggests that if you take a small quantity of vinegar can lowers your triglycerides and cholesterol level. It may also reduce liver disease, coronary, and heart disease.
Alternatives to Rice Vinegar
Some time you don’t find rice or sushi vinegar from a supermarket or sometime may not available in your kitchen. You just want to use sushi or rice vinegar for your salad dressing, rice and sushi. Here are some substitutes of rice vinegar.
1. White wine vinegar
White wine vinegar is the most similar to rice vinegar. It is made by adding white wine in vinegar and fermenting the mixture. It is a little bit acidic that’s why somewhat sugar added. It is used to season rice for sushi.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
This vinegar you can find easily in your kitchens or store. You may use apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar while making sauces or dips. Make sure to add some sugar while using it in rice or sushi and you can enjoy the similar flavor that rice vinegar provides.
3. Champagne vinegar
If you do not have rice vinegar in your pantry but can spot some champagne vinegar, feel free to use it instead in your food because champagne vinegar also has the light and delicate taste and flavor that rice vinegar provides. As obvious from the name itself, champagne vinegar is made by fermenting champagne.
Though each of these alternatives is great to use instead of rice vinegar, it is recommended to use rice vinegar or sushi vinegar in your dishes to get the most authentic taste and flavors. Food is nothing without authentic flavors after all!
So, Which One Should You Choose?
It’s very complicated to select the best one what should I choose? There are many questions in mind, especially heath conscious people they want more nutritious and healthy one.
There is no any strict rule what you should choose. You can select either one, if you are at work or too busy, you can add sushi vinegar instead of rice vinegar because you would be able to eliminate the steps of adding seasoning separately.
Then again, on the off chance that you wouldn’t fret going the conventional way and adding all fixings independently, rice vinegar is consistently the main preference in making sushi or prepared rice.
However, it is prescribed to utilize sushi vinegar rather than rice vinegar on account of one straightforward explanation that you may end up adding excessively or too little sugar and salt while adding them independently. Sushi vinegar would give you the specific adjusted taste and flavor all things being equal, which would get you far from the concern of wrecking the taste.