Fujian Province — particularly Fuzhou area
Rice wine lees (jiu zao) are the spent solid mash left after pressing fermented glutinous rice — fragrant, slightly alcoholic, and rich in amino acids. In Fujian and Zhejiang cuisine, jiu zao is used as a marinade and cooking medium: jiu zao chicken (红糟鸡), jiu zao ribs, jiu zao fish. The fermented rice lees penetrate deep into the protein and create a distinctive pink-red colour and sweet-fermented flavour.
Sweet-fermented, slightly alcoholic rice fragrance with the distinctive red yeast earthy note — uniquely Fujian; the colour is as striking as the flavour
{"Fresh jiu zao from Fujian rice wine production: pink-red from red yeast rice; available as a paste","Marinate protein in jiu zao paste minimum 12 hours — 24 hours for deeper penetration","Cooking method: steam or shallow-fry in the jiu zao marinade; the lees crust slightly during cooking","Red yeast rice (hong qu) is the colourant that gives Fujian wine lees their distinctive pink hue"}
{"Fujian preserved red tofu (nan ru) shares the same red yeast colourant — substitute in a pinch","Jiu zao can be thinned with rice wine and used as a poaching liquid for chicken — pink-tinged, fragrant broth results","Jiu zao shrimp (zao xia): raw shrimp marinated in jiu zao overnight — a Fujian cured preparation eaten cold"}
{"Using white wine lees instead of red yeast rice lees — different colour and flavour entirely","Insufficient marinating time — the jiu zao flavour requires time to penetrate","Cooking at too high heat — the lees burn before the protein is cooked through"}
Land of Plenty — Fuchsia Dunlop