PLUM SAUCE

Mandarin: MEIZI JIANG; Cantonese: SHWIN MEI JIONG; Vietnamese: CUONG NGOT

Made from plum juice with sugar, salt, vinegar and a thickening agent, plum sauce is a sort of sweet-and -sour sauce. It is generally associated with Chinese food. Thai cooks are partial to plum sauce, but they tend to make their own, using preserved plums and sugar.

Aroma and flavor
There seems to be no standard recipe for the commercially made plum sauce. The various brands all seem to use slightly different seasonings and some even add garlic, ginger or chili to give it extra tang. Taste before use, as some brands can be quite fiery.

Culinary uses
One of the common uses for plum sauce in the West is to serve it with Peking duck. It is also used as a dip for spring rolls and other dim sum.

Storage
Plum sauce is usually sold in glass jars. One opened, the jar should be kept in the fridge.