Posted on: Wednesday, October 27, 2004
 |
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Pick your favorites for mui
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
Requests came in from readers Jean Sato and Jerry Lorenzo for school-kine mui (preserved fruit) recipes — prune mui for Jean, raisin mui for Jerry. These are timely as folks begin to consider what homemade food gifts they might prepare for holiday giving. Mui can actually be canned in sterile jars (process in hot water bath for 20 to 30 minutes), vacuum packed (if you've got one of those home sealer systems) or just stored in airtight containers or zippered freezer bags in the refrigerator.
Although I didn't find mui recipes among those I looked over at the state Department of Education Food Service office recently, readers did respond to our request with several recipes for mui, and all had in common that they combined a couple of different dried fruits (prunes and apricots, also dried cranberries or raisins), prepared li hing mui, lemons and/or lemon peel, brown sugar, spirits (whiskey or brandy) and spices, particularly Chinese five spice. Some recipes are cooked; others not.
I suspect the cafeteria ladies didn't use the spirits, but we're grownups now, right? I also suspect the raisin mui served in little paper muffin cups in school, swimming in juice, was an attempt to use up an abundance of federal surplus raisins.
Here's a recipe for prune mui from Bird McIver, via Theresa Beerman of Waimea, who says it is "VERY good." I didn't test this recipe, but I'm sure, based on my previous experience with mui, that Jerry could substitute an equivalent amount of raisins for the prunes.
Prune mui
Combine all ingredients in a large pot and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Lower heat and cook another 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
At this point, if you're canning the mui, pour into hot, sterile jars and can 20 to 30 minutes in boiling water bath.
Or cool the mixture and then vacuum pack or store in airtight containers.
Makes about 1 gallon.
• Per serving (30 grams, about 1 ounce or 2 tablespoons): 75 calories, 0 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 15 g sugar, 1 g protein. Herb Sato sent in an immense recipe for mui that he got from his friend, Terry. It makes use of a mix of fruit, including pitted prunes, dried apricots and/or dried cranberries or cherries. I'm sure you could use the same technique with any mui recipe to make a gift with a slightly different flavor.
