Li Hing Powder
Look, Kitties (and Toms—male cats), I’m going to be straight with you because we’re all friends here: The way to my food-loving heart is to, um, feed me.
Real-life friends and family know this, bless them, and so a member of the former bought me this Li Hing Powder while he was vacationing in Hawaii.
I like to think that this friend (hey, Jesus!) was passing along this message, too.
Look, it’s Mount Li Hing! Wow! Or not.
Now, upon reading the ingredients list, I have to wonder why Jesus, also more correctly known as Mr. Resident because Jesus is not his real name, got me this item. I mean, the lists reads as, “Plum Extract, Salt, Licorice, FD&C, Red #40, Yellow #5, Aspartame. Phenylketonuric: Contains Phenylalanine.”
Mr. Resident, what kind of oral-surgeon-in-training are you, giving me something containing mysterious ingredients?
An awesome one who knows me too well, I think.
Fresh pineapple covered in the powder. (Are you as surprised as I was to discover that I own a sifter? That mostly forgotten thing hadn’t seen kitchen light in years.)
Oh, and I had to ask a from-Hawaii relative how to use this powder that’s apparently popular in the area. He advised me to sprinkle it on fruits, like apples, and popcorn.
I had neither apples nor popcorn on hand, so fresh pineapple it was.
The powder proved to be not-so-mysterious because I’d experienced its flavor before…it totally tasted like the coating on Preserved Fruit. Plum-y and sour-y. The powder added a nice and interesting flavor contrast to the pineapple, for sure.
Now, Mr. Resident, you know what you need to get me the next time you go to Hawaii, right? Macadamia Nuts with SPAM! Because you just cannot mention something like that to a food blogger without the physical evidence.
I asked my mom – in Chinese it’s ??? (Li Xian Fen), or in Taiwanese (in my best romanisation) Li Giam Fen. I had to ask my mother and aunt several times before they recognised the name, so I guess it’s not that common. I really like plum powder with guavas. And apparently it’s good on tomatoes, too.
Wei-Wei
It thought it would be something like those Mexican powder things you get from ice cream trucks.
Also, that link with the Macadamia nuts with SPAM. …First reaction, “…WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!!?!??!?!!!!” I know somebody who would LOOOOOOOOOOVE this invention.
Wei-Wei: Hmm, it looks like this powder is pretty versatile; thanks for the guava and tomato suggestions. I might be getting some treats straight from Taiwan soon, so I’m excited for that!
Lian: Yeah, the nuts are pretty um, nuts. But awesome, too. This friend also sent me a photo of shelves lined with SPAM products. I guess SPAM is especially popular in Hawaii.
Tried the Spam-flavoured Mac Nuts at the Made in Hawaii show in Honolulu this past August. Simply amazing. Now I’m looking for Li Hing powder at home (Canada).
DT: I incidentally got to try the nuts, too. I was visiting a cousin-in-law who’s from Hawaii, and happened to mention the powder and nuts. Next thing I know, he brought out a can of the nuts that his relatives sent him from Hawaii. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! I thought the nuts tasted, um, Spam-y.
Good luck finding the powder!
My mouth is watering! It’s also great on gummy bears. Tastes best with sweet-sour fruit like grapes, grapefruit, mango, pineapple, cherry tomatoes etc.
Fran: Yeah, I love how versatile this powder is!