Production of Shaoxing begins in the 10 th lunar month (between October and November) when the weather and humidity is ideal for the fermentation process. He claimed it helped bolster his energy and conquer his foes. Another fun historical fact-or rumor-is that Shaoxing wine was heralded as a key ingredient in Mao Zedong’s favorite meal of braised pork belly with scallion greens. As was the case for many alcoholic beverages, Shaoxing was also used in political negotiations, diplomacy, and war.Īn interesting fact is that it was the custom in Shaoxing to bury a bottle of red Shaoxing wine when one’s first daughter was born, then unearth it and serve it at her graduation or wedding. In the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), Shaoxing had a resurgence and it became a mainstay of fancy banquets. Many people say it was developed around 2050 BC by the god of Chinese wine, Du Kang, during the reign of King Shaokang of the Xia dynasty.įor some time, the popularity of Shaoxing waxed and waned and competed with its stronger cousin, baijiu. ![]() According to some legends, yellow wine ( huangjiu) was invented even earlier than that. Shaoxing wine is one of the earliest types of rice wine-in fact, it was mentioned in records more than 2000 years ago! It can be traced back to the end of the Zhou dynasty (around 500 BC), when it was first served as an alcoholic drink for ceremonial purposes. Shaoxing ranges from 18-25% alcohol, but when you heat the food to a high temperature, most of the alcohol cooks off. On its own, Shaoxing’s flavor doesn’t taste very exciting, yet when you use it as a marinade, it adds a burst of flavor to meat, chicken, and fish dishes. Cooking with Shaoxing wine is comparable to cooking with a dry sherry or saké. Its color can range from pale yellow all the way to brown. ![]() Shaoxing has a mild, clear, amber hue, an aromatic smell, and slightly sweet and briny flavor. ![]() Shaoxing wine is technically a type of huangjiu that is used primarily for cooking instead of sipping. This region has mild temperatures and high humidity, both of which are perfect for rice cultivation.Īlternative names to Shaoxing cooking wine include yellow wine or huangjiu (黄酒), liaojiu, huadiao liaojiu, shaohsing cooking wine, chia fan wine, Chinese cooking wine, or simply rice wine. Shaoxing wine is a type of fermented rice wine that is named after the only place where authentic Shaoxing cooking wine is produced: the city of Shaoxing! Pronounced “sheow-sheen,” Shaoxing is located in Zhejiang Province, an area of Eastern China that is known for its beautiful scenery, lush green hills, and rice wine production. Shaoxing cooking wine (shàoxīng jiŭ 绍兴酒) is a staple ingredient in all Chinese pantries. While you may have never heard of it, Shaoxing wine is probably the most widely used ingredient in Chinese cooking after soy sauce! This article covers the basics of Shaoxing cooking wine, including its history, production, culinary uses, recipe substitutes, and how to buy it.
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