When a recipe calls for rice vinegar...

I would use unseasoned. The seasoned just has sugar in it.

I use balsamic or red wine.

Thanks DiAnne, I had no idea what the difference was. HonnyBrown, thank you also, I like the balsamic myself but my husband doesn't. I am going to make a chinese recipe tomorrow and it just says rice vinegar, I wish these things clued me in better. I am not good in the kitchen at all.

I didn't even know there was seasoned rice vinegar and I've shopped in a variety of Asian markets, I've always bought the plain stuff.

I have both seasoned and unseasoned. Generally I use the unseasoned. I really like it because it's less acidic, has less "bite" than red wine vinegar. There are times that good old apple cider vinegar can be substituted, but add a few grains of sugar.

My D/H gave me a bottle of real balsamic vinegar for my birthday. It's nothing like the stuff we generally find in grocery stores.

I use unseasoned rice vinegar, and I'd definitely start there! Rice vinegar is appropriate to a Chinese dish, balsamic vinegar and some wine vinegars are not. Interestingly, I have a recipe for Chinese sweet and pungent meatballs that calls for a bit of sherry in the meatball marinade!

On 9/18/2014 MartieHugs said:

I have both seasoned and unseasoned. Generally I use the unseasoned. I really like it because it's less acidic, has less "bite" than red wine vinegar. There are times that good old apple cider vinegar can be substituted, but add a few grains of sugar.

My D/H gave me a bottle of real balsamic vinegar for my birthday. It's nothing like the stuff we generally find in grocery stores.

I have a bottle of 18 yr. old Balsamic, and it takes restraint to keep from drinking it straight from the bottle.

FWIW, I would not substitute Balsamic for rice vinegar. White wine vinegar, or a slightly diluted apple cider, maybe, but not Balsamic.

On 9/18/2014 DiAnne said:

I would use unseasoned. The seasoned just has sugar in it.

I thought it was salt, but either way, I would rather use unseasoned.

I vote for plain/original rice vinegar, unless otherwise specified.