How do I make chinese-style salted plums?

Question

I have a surplus of plums from a tree in the yard. I want to preserve some like the dried plums in the fruit shops in Chinatown. Thoughts?

Answer 1

This is the closest I could find for you.  Ling Hing Mui (translated in English to "Chinese traveling plum"), was a recipe I cannot find.  In Hawaii we call it crackseed.  First put you plums in a dehydrator to make prunes, then follow one of these recipes.  Good Luck!

In a word, crackseed.

Bernie Thomas and Norman Rodrigues both wrote looking for recipes for Chinese preserved fruits -- those candies that fall collectively under the moniker of crackseed.

These recipes were adapted from "Oldies But Goodies," published by the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association in 1983 (and for what it's worth, all the recipes were contributed by alumni from the class of 1953).

They include true crackseed -- prunes that are "cracked," or quartered, seeds and all -- as well as other seedless fruits that are flavored the same way. Basically, you cook up a syrup of sugar, salt and lemon juice, then add dried fruit, cool and store.

You should feel free to vary the proportions of salt to sweet to suit your taste, adjust cooking time to get the tenderness you like, pour more or less syrup into your storage jars to get the juiciness you like.

You could even experiment with different types of dried fruit.

For Thomas, Rodrigues and other lovers of this genre, a variety of recipes have run in this column in the past. You can find them on our Web site, www.starbulletin.com. Use the search function and type in sour lemon, prune mui or mango seed.

Prune Crackseed

4 pounds prunes (with seeds)

Juice of 12 lemons, or 6 lemons and 6 limes

5 tablespoons Hawaiian salt

1 pound raw brown sugar

1 tablespoon dark molasses

2 jiggers rum (about 1-1/2 tablespoons)

Crack prunes into quarters.

Combine lemon juice, salt, sugar and molasses in a pan and bring to a boil. Add prunes; reduce heat and simmer until mixture thickens. Cool.

Add rum. Store refrigerated in sterilized jars.

Prune Mui

8 packages (12-ounce size) pitted prunes

1 pound brown sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons li hing

(Chinese seasoning) powder

2 tablespoons Hawaiian salt

1 tablespoon Chinese 5-spice powder

8 cloves star anise

3 tablespoons whiskey

2 cups fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons slivered fresh ginger root or 1 pound sweet crunchy red ginger (optional)

In a large container, combine all of the ingredients except the red ginger. Let stand for 2 to 4 days, mixing at least twice a day.

Add red ginger when ready to serve. Makes 4 quarts.