Best Prune Mui Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you eat prune mui? ›

Prune mui is a local favorite in Hawaii. It is a preserve of dried fruits, the sweet and sour sauce is addicting and most times you eat the fruits with your fingers, licking them after putting some into your mouth (well, I usually do this). I tried the recipe from Hawaii State Representative Roy Takumi's pamphlet.

Li hing mui powder is created by pickling the plums with a selection of ingredients such as red food coloring, licorice, sugar, salt bring, water and vinegar. The ingredients are then boiled and stored, then finely ground into Li hing mui powder.

How quickly prunes or prune juice will work depends on each individual. Some will see results in as little as a few hours. For some, it may take a day or so. Using this “go-slow” approach makes you more likely to improve symptoms without rapid urgency or even diarrhea.

Soaking dried prunes in water before eating them is a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer to soak dried prunes to rehydrate them, making them softer and juicier before consumption. Soaking can also help alleviate any digestive discomfort that might arise from eating dried fruits in their dehydrated state.

If you're familiar with the Mexican fruit seasoning tajin, or the candy lucas, li hing is the sweeter, milder version of that.

Chamoy is an alternate version of li hing mui, a blazing red, salty, sour, and sweet powder popular in Hawaii, says Laudan, author of Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History and The Food of Paradise: Exploring Hawaii's Culinary Heritage.

Li hing mui (Chinese: 旅行梅; Jyutping: leoi⁵ hang⁴ mui⁴), known as huamei (simplified Chinese: 话梅; traditional Chinese: 話梅; pinyin: Huà méi) in Mainland China, is salty dried Chinese plum (Prunus mume).

This translates to “talking plum.” If you're ever invited to a Chinese person's house to play cards or mahjong they will offer you tea and a handful of dried plums or sunflower seeds to eat while talking story and hanging out.

Use it to coat gummy bears. Dip co*cktail glasses in citrus juice, then li hing mui powder to rim the glass. Mix 1 tablespoon li hing mui powder with 1/2 cup sugar to use as a coating for monkey bread-bound biscuit dough, croissant cones, or to dust warm, fresh-from-the-fryer donuts.

High in potassium

On the other hand, if you follow a low-potassium diet due to conditions such as chronic kidney disease, your doctor or dietitian may recommend that you avoid prunes. A 1/4-cup portion (40 grams, or about 5 prunes) contains 293 milligrams of potassium.

What is the healthiest way to eat prunes? ›

Rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin K, prunes may help improve bone mineral density, heart health, and more. Snack on fresh plums, add chopped prunes to morning oats, or prune juice to smoothies. Or use prunes as a nutrient-dense sugar substitute in baking to add fiber, sweetness, and color.

Prunes, also known as dried plums, are a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamins B6 and K, a combination of vitamins and minerals that boost the production of melatonin, the hormone that lets the body know its time to sleep.

Prunes can be eaten dried as they are, although they are sometimes stewed for dessert or processed into prune juice. Eating too many prunes can lead to digestive side effects, including diarrhea and laxative dependence.

While you can eat these raw like any other stone fruit, they are best cooked. Their firmer texture holds up well, even when made into a jam or sauce, and their more concentrated but less sweet flavor means that they are a wonderful addition to baked goods like coffee cake or scones.

If you're wondering whether you can eat prunes on an empty stomach, Bonci says you absolutely can and that they are great on their own or can be incorporated into a variety of dishes.

You can consume plums fresh or dried. Dried plums, or prunes, are known for improving several health conditions, including constipation and osteoporosis.