Sour taste is a basic taste. There are many substances containing sour ingredients in nature, most of which are plant raw materials, mainly including vinegar, vinegar essence, lactic acid of sour plums and pickles, vinegar sugar of pickled vegetables and other organic acids. Its production is mainly due to hydrogen ions dissociated from sour substances, which stimulate people's taste nerves in the mouth and produce sour taste. Sour taste has the functions of removing fishy smell, relieving boredom, refreshing and enhancing fragrance.

table vinegar

Vinegar is sour and mellow in taste, fragrant and soft in liquid. It is an essential condiment in cooking, and its main components are acetic acid, higher alcohols and so on. There are mainly rice vinegar, smoked vinegar, sweet and sour vinegar, wine vinegar, white vinegar, etc. According to different varieties of producing areas, the amount of acetic acid in vinegar is different, which is generally between 5% and 8%. The acidity intensity of vinegar is mainly determined by the amount of acetic acid contained in it. For example, Shanxi mature vinegar has a strong sour taste, while Zhenjiang balsamic vinegar is soft and sour, but not strong.

In addition to acetic acid, vinegar also contains some other nutrients beneficial to the body, such as lactic acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, amino acids, sugar, calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B2 and so on.

(A) the role of vinegar in cooking

1, reconcile the taste of dishes, increase the flavor of dishes, and remove bad odors.

2. It can reduce the loss of vitamin C in raw materials, promote the dissolution of mineral components such as calcium, phosphorus and iron in raw materials, and improve the nutritional value of dishes and the absorption and utilization rate of human bodies.

3, can regulate and stimulate people's appetite, promote the secretion of digestive juice, and contribute to the digestion and absorption of food.

4. In the processing of raw materials, the occurrence of "rust color" of some fruits and vegetables can be prevented. When cooking vegetables that are easy to change color, such as lotus root, a little vinegar can make it white.

5. It can soften the meat.

6. It has certain bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects, and can be used for preservation and antisepsis of food or raw materials, such as acid soaking raw materials.

7. It has certain nutritional and health care functions.

(2) Interaction between vinegar and other seasonings.

1, sour and sweet

The relationship between the two is easy to weaken. For example, after adding a sweet seasoning (sugar) to vinegar, the acidity will be weakened, and if a small amount of vinegar is added to the solution of sugar, the sweetness will be weakened.

2. Sour and salty taste

After adding a small amount of salt to vinegar, the sour taste will be weakened, but adding a small amount of vinegar to salt solution will enhance the salty taste.

3. Sour taste and umami taste

If fresh soup with high concentration is added to the vinegar solution, the umami taste can be improved. Therefore, if it is necessary to improve the umami taste of dishes seasoned with vinegar, fresh soup should be added instead of monosodium glutamate.