Shaoxing Wine

Shaoxing wine is a traditional Chinese rice wine originating from the city of Shaoxing in Zhejiang province. It is made by fermenting glutinous rice and has a distinctive earthy, mildly sweet and complex flavour with a hint of nuttiness. It is absolutely indispensable in Chinese cuisine, it is added to meat marinades, sauces, soups and stir-fries. It removes unwanted odours from meat and lends dishes an authentic depth of Chinese flavour. If unavailable, it can be roughly substituted with dry sherry in recipes, though the flavour will not be entirely the same. It can be found in Asian grocery stores and specialist food shops.