Rice vinegar is produced by fermenting rice wine (sake, mijiu) or rice directly with acetic acid bacteria until the alcohol converts to acetic acid. It is the standard cooking vinegar of East and Southeast Asian cuisines — lighter, less sharp, and slightly sweet compared to Western wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar.
Types
Japanese rice vinegar (米酢, komezu): 4–4.5% acidity; pale yellow; mild and slightly sweet. The default Japanese cooking vinegar: used for sushi rice seasoning, sunomono (vinegared salads), and pickles. Mizkan is the dominant commercial brand.
Chinese rice vinegar (米醋, mǐcù):
- White rice vinegar: colourless; 5–6% acidity; sharper than Japanese; used in sweet-sour sauces and marinades
- Red rice vinegar (红醋): made with red fermented rice; complex with a slight sweetness; used as a dipping vinegar for dim sum and crab
- Black vinegar (黑醋, Chinkiang/Zhenjiang vinegar): aged in clay pots; complex, slightly sweet, smoky; the vinegar in dan dan noodles, hot and sour soup, and as a table condiment for dumplings
Korean rice vinegar (현미식초): similar to Japanese; occasionally made from brown rice, adding a slightly nutty note.
Sushi rice ratio
For standard sushi rice (2 cups uncooked rice): 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt. Japanese rice vinegar is specified — substituting a sharper Western vinegar at equal volume over-acidifies the rice. If only white wine vinegar is available, reduce the quantity by approximately 25%.
Acidity comparison
| Vinegar | Acidity |
|---|---|
| Japanese rice vinegar | 4–4.5% |
| Chinese white rice vinegar | 5–6% |
| White wine vinegar | 6–7% |
| Distilled white vinegar | 5–8% |
Substitutions
For Japanese rice vinegar: unseasoned apple cider vinegar (4–5% acidity) is the closest Western substitute, with a fruity note. For Chinkiang black vinegar: balsamic vinegar (reduced by one-third) or Worcestershire sauce approximates the complex dark profile, though neither is accurate. For Chinese white rice vinegar in sweet-sour sauce: white wine vinegar at reduced volume.
Storage
Rice vinegar is highly stable. Store at room temperature away from light; an opened bottle keeps 2–3 years. Discard if the acidity becomes noticeably flat or off-flavoured.