Li Hing Hawaii Gummy Candy Gift Ideas

Li Hing Unique Hawaii Li Hing Gummy Candy Gift Baskets

LI HING MUI, A HAWAII OBSESSION

Li hing mui (Chinese: 旅行梅; Jyutping: leoi hang mui), known as huamei (simplified Chinese: 话梅; traditional Chinese: 話梅; pinyin: Huà méi) in Mainland China, is salty dried Chinese plum (Prunus mume). It has a strong, distinctive flavor and is often said to be an acquired taste, as it has a combination of sweet, sour, and salty taste. Originally from Guangdong Province, the name “li hing mui” means “traveling plum”. “Li hing” is “traveling” and “mui” is “plum” in Cantonese. Li hung mui is called hoshiume (Japanese: 干し梅, dried plum) in Japan, the salty and sour umeboshi is also popular.

Powder

Li hing mui powder from Taiwan.

Li hing mui powder made of ground plum skin that has previously been pickled in a combination of licorice, red food coloring, salt, sugar, and occasionally aspartame and or saccharine. It can be used as a flavoring, usually sprinkled on candy and other fruits, notably pineapples, mangoes, guavas and apples. Li hing mui powder can be found in Hawaii, where local children like to put it on shave ice, sour candy, rock candy, popcorn, fruit, and arare.

Alcoholic beverages

Recently, people have also been putting li hing powder into their alcoholic drinks—mainly tequila and cocktails. 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) 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. And when you try to eat one of the plum seeds after you take them out, you’ll find that its flavor has gone entirely into the tequila.

Note that li hing powder uses 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 more commonly used on dried/dehydrated plums.

In China, huamei found in bottles of rice wine like olives in a martini.

What are the ingredients in li hing?

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

What does li hing taste like?

A strong, distinctive flavor and is often said to be an acquired taste, as it has a combination of sweet, sour, and salty taste. Originally from Guangdong Province, the name “li hing mui” means “traveling plum”.

Li hing mui is all at once: sweet, salty, and sour. It’s a combo of all three in nearly the same proportions. Li hing mui made from dried plums pickled with ingredients including licorice, salt, red food coloring, and sometimes aspartame. The flavor is very distinct (you’ll never mistake li hing mui for anything else!)

What is li hing powder in Hawaii?

Li hing mui is a pickled plum powder that came to the islands by way of China in the early 1900s. The name derived from Chinese; in China, the dried plums known as huamei, but the name li hing mui — what the prized powder known as in Hawaii

The dried plum itself is the original li hing mui snack, but today the powder (made from grinding up the dried plum) is equally popular because it has many culinary applications.

In Hawaii, Li hing powder sprinkled on tropical fruits such as pineapple and papaya.

Li hing mui powder made from dried salted plums

It has both a sweet and sour taste with a hint of saltiness

Li hing powder sprinkled on your popcorn and Arare rice crackers.

What is li hing gummy bears?

Li Hing Mui Gummi Bears are a delicious twist on the classic gummy candy. These Asian snacks are a popular treat in Hawaii and other parts of Asia. The candy infused with Li Hing Mui powder, a dried plum powder that gives it a sweet, sour, and slightly salty taste.

Li hing mui gummy bears are a big deal in Hawaii! Once you try, you’ll be forever addicted. You can buy li hing mui gummy bears at all local supermarkets, convenience stores, and snack shops around town.

Next step is to try all the other “li hing’d” gummies and snacks. Think li hing sour belts, li hing sour apples, li hing dried mango, and even li hing dried lychee! You can basically li hing anything sweet and fruity, and it will be good.

LI HING POWDER VS LI HING MUI

Li Hing Mui refers to the seed. You mainly snack on the seeds, but don’t really cook or make things with the seed.

Li Hing Powder the powder that’s made from grinding up the seeds. The powder is used for sprinkling on things (eg. shave ice, popcorn, and fresh fruit), mixing into things (like juices and cocktails) or cooking. When you see just the words “li hing” on a menu, people are likely referring to the powder.

WET LING HING MUI

Wet li hing mui is such a tasty treat. It’s basically li hing mui soaked in a sweet and salty “juice.” Everyone who makes/sells wet li hing mui has their own secret recipe. They scoop it up and sell it by the pound.

You know what’s REALLY good? If you scoop some wet li hing mui (the seed and the juice) and put it into an Icee (I like Coke Icee + li hing combo, but I know most people prefer Strawberry Icee + li hing combo). More about this at the bottom of the post.

Next step is to try all the other “li hing’d” gummies and snacks. Think li hing sour belts, li hing sour apples, li hing dried mango, and even li hing dried lychee! You can basically li hing anything sweet and fruity, and it will be good.

HOW TO USE LI HING MUI

There are so many ways you can use li hing mui! These are the most common:

• Sprinkle it on fresh fruits. I like chopped pineapples and sliced apples the best. Li hing mui mango is also heavenly!
• Put it in lemonade, iced tea, or other sweet drinks. The powder gives it this tangy-sweet-salty flavor that is just so tasty. Don’t forget to make li hing margaritas!
• Li hing mui is a classic shave ice syrup flavor. If you don’t want to make the syrup, just sprinkle the powder on top of your shave ice
• Make li hing mui gummy bears by tossing li hing powder with gummy bears.
• Toss li hing mui powder with popcorn. You can even made a li hing-hurricane popcorn.

HOW TO STORE LI HING MUI

Keep it in an airtight bag/container. You want it in dry storage, away from heat and sun.