Rice wine plays a major role in Chinese cuisine, possibly coming second only to soy sauce in importance. Made from fermented glutinous rice, rice wine is used to tenderize meat and seafood in marinades, and to impart flavor to food. Rice wine even forms the basis of an herbal soup meant to help new mothers recover quickly after giving birth.Unfortunately, while rice wine is readily available at Chinese/Asian groceries, it is one of the few must-have Chinese ingredients that is not easy to find at regular local supermarkets. And drinking quality rice wine is still hard to find in many parts of North America.Here are some suggested substitutes for rice wine:Pale Dry Sherry – available at liquor stores, this is the most commonly recommended substitute for rice wine. It comes closest in flavor to Shaoxing rice wine (also spelled Shao-hsing or Shaohsing), an amber-colored wine made with glutinous rice, wheat yeast, ​and spring water. Since rice wine can be hard to find, many recipes will only have dry sherry in the ingredients list, not even giving rice wine as an option.

Gin – While Shaoxing rice wine is commonly recommended because of its consistent high quality, there are many types of rice wines in China. Gin comes closer in flavor to the white rice wines than dry sherry. Feel free to give it a try if you like.Commonly referred to as the Japanese version of rice wine (although it actually has more in common with brewing beer), Sake has a very different flavor than Chinese rice wine. good bc white winesHowever, some cooks prefer it. dry white wine types foodIt really comes down to personal preference – feel free to give it a try if you like.red wine price amazonYou can also try use mirin as rice wine substitute. best white wine under 10 dollars

I have also tried to use vodka instead of rice wine to marinaded meat before and the result was satisfying. Learn more about rice wineWhite Wines for Thai food Riesling and Gewürztraminer are some of the best white wine choices for Thai food. These wines offer floral, citrus, peach and mineral accents that pair well with spicy dishes and have won many fans among Thai food lovers. food and wine 30 best fast recipesRiesling and Gewürztraminer paired with stir-fried vegetables like zucchini, squash, asparagus, and carrot; sweet red wine oliverspicy chicken in chili paste; what are the best port wineyellow noodles with crab meat; best wine kit 2015duck in red curry; best places to drink wine in nyc

and stir-fried chicken and cashew nut are all favourites of mine. One of the best wine and Thai food matches I have experienced was in Songkla where I had an incredibly spicy yellow curried seafood plate with an icy cold Moscato d'Asti from Santo di Stefano. The whipsaw of spicy heat of the curry and chilled fruitiness of the Moscato was like a rollercoaster of flavour sensations. But for the ultimate in Thai food and wine combinations try deep-fried fish and mango salad or mussaman chicken curry paired with a sparkling Shiraz. Then there is the world's most popular white wine, Chardonnay. It's equally happy with Thai cuisine. Good Chardonnay offers generous apple, melon, pear flavours, along with spice, honey, butter, butterscotch and hazelnut nuance. Look for lightly oaked versions that are refreshing and not heavy. Personally, I find lighter Italian white wines to be perfect with herb-infused Thai dishes. Most Italian wines have an intriguing, slightly bitter taste that works well with Thai food.

Another good bet is Semillon; its rich, honeyed flavour contrasts nicely with spicy Thai curries and dips. Don't Overlook Red Wine Many people seem surprised to discover how delicious Thai food is with red wine. The wines of the Rhône Valley, Syrah, Grenache and Mouvedre are perfect partners to Thai food. Not too heavy, spicy and fruity, their peppery character and fruitiness makes an ideal contrast and compliment to rich Thai foods. California Zinfandel's peppery and jammy blackberry flavours work perfectly with the more hearty Thai dishes for much the same reasons. Try a peppery Zinfandel with a chilli-laden red curry beef plate to get the forehead moist and the senses firing on all cylinders. As with Italian white wines, Italian reds have an uncanny affinity for Thai food. The Sangiovese-based wines of Tuscany are perfect with Thai food, and the wine's flavours seem to come alive when paired with local fare. The two most important rules to remember when pairing wine with Thai food are that full-bodied wines should be served with robust, heavy dishes and lighter wines with lighter fare.

And that crisp, acidic wines marry well with fatty foods, while soft wines are better suited to food with a touch of sourness. Other than that one should enjoy the wines they like the most without worrying about rules too much. Why Smart Thai Food Lovers Choose Wine Forget about beer and Champagne; the carbonation just intensifies the heat of chili peppers and bitterness of herbs while doing little to accentuate the food's other tastes. Unless you enjoy belching and sweating in front of others, go with wine or go without. And what about Thai wine? There are two ways it is marketed and both are based on false logic. Some people try to make you feel obligated to drink Thai wine with Thai food simply because you are in Thailand. A salesman once asked me, "What's the matter, don't you like Thailand?" when I politely declined to buy his Thai wine. I just smiled and said I was into fusion. He didn't get it. The other false logic propagated about Thai wine is that since it is from Thailand it somehow tastes better with Thai food.