Li hing mui

Li hing mui(Chinese:旅行梅;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:lí-hêng muî;Jyutping:leoihangmui), known ashuamei(simplified Chinese:话梅;traditional Chinese:話梅;pinyin:Huà méi) in mainland China, issaltydried Chinese plum (Prunus mume). It has a strong, distinctive flavor and is often said to be anacquired taste, as it has a combination of sweet, sour, and salty taste.Originally fromGuangdong Province, the name "li hing mui" means "traveling plum".  "Li hing" is "traveling" and "mui" is "plum" in Cantonese.Li hung mui is calledhoshiume(Japanese:干し梅, dried plum) inJapan, where the salty and sourumeboshiis also popular. Li hing mui, along with li hing powder, is extremely popular as a snack inHawaii.
Li hing mui powder is made of ground plum skin that has previously been pickled in a combination oflicorice, red food coloring, salt, sugar, and occasionallyaspartameand orsaccharine.  It can be used as a flavoring, usually sprinkled on candy and other fruits, notablypineapples,mangoes,guavasandapples. Li hing mui powder can be found inHawaii, where local children like to put it onshave ice, sour candy,rock candy, popcorn, fruit, andarare.
Recently, people have also been putting li hing powder into their alcoholic drinks—mainlytequilaandcocktails.Many bars in Hawaii replace salt with this powder, since this powder is not only salty, but sweet and sour as well.  Other people also feel that it gives a tart and tangy twist.  Many bars in Hawaii also rim their glasses with li hing powder in addition to putting it in the drink.
Besides li hing powder, the whole li hing mui (red plum seed) is added directly to a bottle of tequila, filling the bottle at least half way with the plum seeds.  After a few weeks, the li hing plums will impart its reddish color and flavor to the tequila, fully transferring their flavor to the drink.
Note that li hing powder is used on different plum varieties, and it comes in different colors.  The "red" powder is popular on fruits and assorted red plum varieties.  A "white" powder version is more commonly used on dried/dehydrated plums.
In China, huamei are often found in bottles ofrice wine, like olives in a martini.
Li hung mui is also found inKoreaandJapan.
Li hung mui was introduced to Japan from China throughOkinawa, and was simply calledHoshiume(干し梅, dried plum). Its import, however, was stopped soon, ascyclamatewas found being used. As the dried plum usingcandyleafwas developed in 1981 by such confectionaries as Uema Confectionary in Okinawa,it has become popular among the Japanese. It is now found in the localsupermarketsin Japan.
Li hing mui were introduced to thePhilippinesduring theSpanish colonial periodbyChinese Filipinoimmigrants. They are known inFilipinoaskiamoy(spelledciamoyinPhilippine Spanish). The name is derived fromPhilippine HokkienChinese:鹹梅;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:kiâm-muî;lit.'salted plum'. The li hing mui powder mixture (anise, licorice, salt, sugar, and powdered plum seeds) was also introduced and is sold separately askiam-muy-hoon(or simply "kiamoy powder",HokkienChinese:鹹梅粉;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:kiâm-muî hún;lit.'salted plum powder'). The powder is used as an ingredient in cooking, as coating for the dishkiamoy chicken, or as dips for fruits likepomeloand unripe orpickled mango. A locally developed variant of kiamoy is known aschampóywhich uses the native berryMyrica rubra(also locally known as champóy).
Li hing mui was introduced to the Polynesian islands of Hawaii,TahitiandSamoain the late 19th century by Chinese labourers working in the plantations.It is typically eaten in powdered form, sprinkled over fruits such as mango orambarellaand other desserts. It is known locally ascrack seedin Hawaii,Simoiin the Samoan islands andbonbon chinoisin French Polynesia.
Li hing mui achieved popularity in Hawaii by Yee Sheong, who in early 1900 began importing li hing mui and various other preserved fruits, from China to Hawaii. Yee thus started the li hing mui craze, which flourished with the company he founded, Yick Lung. Li hing mui can be found in Hawaiian andAsianmarkets.
In the 70s, a popular gift for Hawaiian kids were the Yick Lung crack seed leis.
Li hing mui (asciamoy) were introduced toMexicobyFilipino migrantsvia theManila Galleons(1565 to 1815). These developed into theMexicantreatsaladitosand thechamoysauce derived from it.