Shaoxing wine
Shaoxing wine is an amber Chinese rice wine with a nutty, sherry-like taste. It seasons stir-fries, marinades and braises. Swap in dry sherry.
Also called Shaoxing rice wine, Shao Hsing wine, Chinese cooking wine.
Shaoxing wine is a Chinese rice wine from the city of Shaoxing in eastern China. It is made from fermented glutinous rice and wheat and aged until it turns amber. It tastes nutty, savory and a little sweet, somewhat like dry sherry. In Chinese cooking it adds depth, balances other flavors and takes away fishy or gamey smells.
How to use it
- Stir-fries. Splash 1 to 2 tablespoons around the hot edge of the wok, not straight onto the food, so it sizzles and gives off its aroma.
- Marinades. Mix with soy sauce, cornstarch (cornflour in the UK) and a little oil to season meat before stir-frying. This is part of how meat is velveted.
- Braises. Red-braised pork, soy-braised chicken and many fish dishes use a generous pour.
- Dumpling fillings. Add a little to pork fillings for flavor and juiciness.
The alcohol mostly burns off in a hot wok or long braise. For more on that, see cook off the alcohol.
Substitutes
- Dry sherry is the best swap. Use the same amount.
- Dry sake works, though it is lighter.
- Dry white wine or dry vermouth, in a pinch.
- For an alcohol-free version, use chicken stock with a dash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
Do not use mirin as a one-for-one swap. It is much sweeter.
How to store it
Keep the bottle tightly closed in a cool, dark cupboard. It keeps for months after opening. If you use it slowly, keep it in the fridge to hold its flavor longer.
In recipes
Many bottles sold for cooking contain added salt. If yours does, reduce the salt or soy sauce in the recipe a little and taste. Because it is made with wheat, Shaoxing wine is not gluten-free. Dry sherry is the usual swap for people who avoid gluten. Recipes may also call it "Chinese rice wine" or "yellow wine".
Recipes that use it
1 recipe from the sites we collect.
Related terms
- Stir-fryStir-frying cooks small, evenly cut pieces of food in a very hot wok with a little oil, stirring constantly so they sear and cook through in minutes.
- VelvetVelveting coats sliced meat in egg white and cornstarch, then cooks it briefly in water or oil before stir-frying. It keeps the meat soft and silky.
- MarinateTo marinate is to soak food in a seasoned liquid of acid, oil, salt and aromatics before cooking. Here are safe times and why longer is not always better.
- MirinMirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine for cooking. It adds gentle sweetness and shine to teriyaki, glazes, broths and dressings. How to swap it.
- Soy sauceSoy sauce is a salty, savory sauce brewed from soybeans, wheat and salt. Light, dark and tamari explained, plus how to use it, swap it and store it.
- Cook off the alcoholTo cook off the alcohol is to simmer wine or spirits so the harsh taste fades. Here is how long it takes and why some alcohol always stays in the dish.