Chinese Plum Sauce (Méi Zǐ Jiàng 梅子酱)
Chinese plum sauce is one of the best-known and best-loved sauces in Chinese cooking – sweet, tangy and gently spiced, and easy to make at home.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 500 g ripe plums about 1.1 lb, pitted
- 100 g sugar about ½ cup; cane sugar is best
- 120 ml rice vinegar ½ cup
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- pinch of salt
- water as needed
Instructions
- Cut the plums into small pieces and put them in a pot. Add the sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic and soy sauce.
- Add a splash of water so the mixture doesn't scorch, and simmer over low heat for about 20–30 minutes, until the plums are soft and starting to fall apart.
- Blend the mixture with an immersion blender or push it through a sieve until smooth.
- Return the sauce to the stove and cook, stirring constantly, for another 5–10 minutes until it thickens.
- Let it cool, then store in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- For a more aromatic sauce, add a star anise pod or a piece of cinnamon stick while it simmers, and remove it before blending.
- No fresh plums? Frozen or canned plums work too – reduce the sugar if they're packed in syrup.
- Thin the sauce with water if it's too thick, or simmer it longer to thicken it.
- Tart plums give the best result. Very sweet dessert plums may need a little extra vinegar.