Vinegar (Sirka)

Vinegar. As an Englishman, I had one use for it. I put it on my Fish 'n' Chips. Then I married a girl from Guam and found another use for it...Adobo sauce. Mmmm. But as a frugal shopper, I began hearing whispers of the incredible versatility of vinegar

Made from wine, vinegar is commonly used cuisine. However, in India vinegar is used to give the special acid flavor that characterizes oriental cuisine.

Vinegar (Sirka) is also used to ground spices, helping to release their delicate flavors. Sirka is also used is a substitute of yogurt and other acid preparations used as marinade.

Prepared as "wet masala", vinegar is used in exchange with oil, and as ingredient of dishes such as:

• Masala Shalgam
• Fish with Walnut
• Mutton Mirch
• Egg Pickles
• Chicken Manchurian
• Fish with Currants
• Honey Garlic Chicken
• Mutta Sirka (Rice and Egg Poories)

As a sour liquid, vinegar is technically the result of alcohol oxidations, whether from red wine, white wine, grape fruit, beer or cider
. Apart of being used as cooking condiment. Vinegar is also a food preservative and flavoring.


Hey Sourpuss! Vinegar is good for you!

“Sour” is the first of four flavors that people in Taiwan use to describe not just food, but the emotions of life (the other three being: sweet, bitter, and spicy).

“Eating vinegar” (in Mandarin: ??) is synonymous with jealousy, but in my mind, “drinking vinegar” means good health!

In the July 11th edition of Feast Meets West, Ellen and I sample apple vinegar, which is a healthy and refreshing summer drink. After dilluting it with a considerable splash of water (at a ratio of 1:5), it’s ready to drink. I’d suggest adding some ice, too.

So what’s so great about drinking organic fruit vinegar? Find out after the jump!

Here’s what we’ve been told (keeping in mind we are not professional nutritionists!):

1. It supposedly reduces stress and fatigue because it helps metabolize sugar.

2. It’s basic (ie: not acidic), so it keeps the PH balance of your blood in check (that’s particularly important for people who eat a lot of meat and carbs).

3. It contains amino acids, which promote the secretion of digestive juices and (yes!) digestion.

4. It combats the affects of aging on your skin.vinegar label

5. It helps prevent vascular disease and diabetes.

6. It’s a diuretic, which means it can help prevent constipation and the formation of kidney stones.

7. It contains acetic, amino and lactic acids, which can help boost liver functions.

8. It can help kill certain intestinal bacteria.

9. It can help decrease body fat.

Again, we are not nutritionists, but these appear to be some of the widely discussed positive health affects of consuming vinegar (as reported in the Chinese-language press in Taiwan). Don’t overdue it, though, and be sure to dilute it with enough water (five times the amount of vinegar).

So pour yourself a nice cup of dilluted fruit vinegar, and get ready to pucker up