What are the differences between Chen vinegar, rice vinegar, chicken essence, and MSG? Using them correctly can make food tastier and healthier.

A wide variety of seasonings, even within the same category, can be overwhelming, not just for infrequent cooks, but even for experienced ones!

For example: light soy sauce and dark soy sauce, chicken bouillon and MSG—they seem similar, but why are there so many types?

Today, I'll help you differentiate common kitchen seasonings~

Vinegar: Black vinegar, rice vinegar, fruit vinegar

Different grains fermented using different brewing methods produce different types of vinegar:

1. Black Vinegar

Black vinegar is made from rice, sorghum, and peas through a multi-step brewing process. After brewing, it needs to be aged for at least a year, resulting in a strong aroma and a heavier sour taste.

Black vinegar is suitable for dishes with a strong sour taste and dark color, such as vinegar-braised fish and hot and sour soup. It can also be used as a dipping sauce for dumplings and wontons.

[Nutritional Value] Black vinegar contains a component called ligustrazine, which has a certain protective effect on the heart and can help improve cerebral ischemia symptoms and regulate blood pressure.

Generally, the longer the vinegar is aged, the higher the ligustrazine content.

2. Rice Vinegar

Rice vinegar is mainly made from rice (glutinous rice, japonica rice, indica rice) using solid-state or liquid-state fermentation processes. Its sour taste is milder than black vinegar.

Rice vinegar is suitable for dishes with a strong sour taste but without coloring, such as stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, sweet and sour fish, and pickles.

Tip: When buying vinegar, check the total acidity. Good quality vinegar generally has ≥3.5g/100ml, resulting in better-tasting food.

3. Fruit Vinegar

Fruit vinegar is a beverage between a drink and vinegar. Common ones are made from fruits such as apples, hawthorn, pears, mulberries, and grapes.

Fruit vinegar contains more natural aromatic organic acids, retaining the unique fruit aroma and is rich in vitamins and amino acids, which helps women with beauty and skin care.

*Picture of fruit vinegar

Soy Sauce: Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and other soy sauces

Soy sauce is generally made from soybeans, soybean meal, wheat, and wheat bran as fermentation raw materials through microbial fermentation.

During brewing, there are several extraction processes. The first extraction after fermentation is the first light soy sauce.

1. Light soy sauce: Light soy sauce is lighter in color, reddish-brown, and saltier. It is generally used for seasoning and enhancing flavor during cooking, such as stir-frying or cold dishes, and can also be used as a dipping sauce. 2. Dark soy sauce: Dark soy sauce is obtained by adding caramel color and molasses to light soy sauce and further fermenting it. It is darker in color, brownish-black. It mainly plays a role in enhancing color, such as in braising, stewing, and marinated dishes.

3. Other soy sauces ① Premium soy sauce: Added to light soy sauce are bay leaves, thyme, modern flavor enhancers, white sugar, and sour juice, generally used in Chinese cuisine for cooking seafood or vegetables. ② Steamed fish soy sauce: Similar to light soy sauce, it contains ginger and other deodorizing substances, commonly used for fish. ③ Sushi soy sauce: Specifically for dipping sushi and sashimi.

Flavor Enhancers: Is chicken bouillon healthier than MSG?

1. Chicken bouillon, an upgraded version of MSG. MSG is actually obtained through grain fermentation. Extraction process: grain → starch → glutamic acid → monosodium glutamate (MSG). As for chicken bouillon, it is made by adding salt, sugar, starch, dextrin, etc., or chicken powder, chicken bone powder, egg extract, etc., to MSG. Therefore, chicken bouillon has a stronger aroma and flavor than MSG. There is no difference in which is better or worse; the choice depends on individual needs.

2. Correct usage of chicken bouillon and MSG ① Pay attention to the time. MSG needs short-term heating to enhance the flavor, so it is generally added 3-5 minutes before the dish is finished. Chicken bouillon contains chicken bone powder, spices, and other heat-sensitive flavor enhancers, so it is best to add it about 1 minute before the dish is finished.

② Control the amount

Chicken bouillon and MSG both contain a certain amount of salt, so add a small amount when cooking, and reduce the amount of salt, soy sauce, and other seasonings accordingly.

③ Do not add to acidic foods. MSG should not be added to acidic dishes such as sweet and sour fish or ribs, and stir-fried cabbage with vinegar. Because MSG is alkaline, adding it to acidic foods will make the dish taste off. ④ Do not add to seafood. Seafood, meat, and mushrooms already contain umami components, so there is no need to add MSG or chicken bouillon to these foods. ⑤ Dissolve before adding to cold dishes. Because the dissolving temperature of MSG is 85℃, it is difficult to decompose below this temperature.

Sugar: White sugar, brown sugar

These three types of sugar belong to sucrose, but due to differences in the manufacturing process, their nutritional value and effects vary.

1. Brown sugar, warming and tonifying. Brown sugar is the first extracted sugar, with the least amount of sugar and relatively less nutrient loss, retaining more minerals and vitamins. Its benefits lie in "warming and tonifying, warming and promoting circulation, warming and dispersing," with the effects of invigorating qi and blood, strengthening the spleen and stomach, and relieving pain. It is more suitable for women and the elderly to supplement qi and blood.

Brown sugar is rich in minerals and is generally suitable for cold dishes.

If using brown sugar to cook food, be careful not to heat it in the pot for too long. A popular dish using brown sugar is brown sugar glutinous rice cakes~

2. White sugar, flavor enhancer

White sugar is made from brown sugar through purification and decolorization, and finally removing impurities.

Although white sugar is not as sweet as brown sugar, its purity is relatively high, making it suitable for enhancing freshness and flavor when cooking.

After all this, my dear warm fan friends should now understand the differences between similar but distinct seasonings, right? Go ahead and make good use of them, after all, practice makes perfect!