Five-spice plum sauce
This sauce is delicious on all kinds of things, but especially with duck (think home-made duck pancakes) or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls. Also try it on a burger, as a stir-fry sauce or with store-bought steamed pork buns. I use blood plums, but any variety would be fine. You could also use apricots, although the colour and flavour will be different.
Ingredients
- 2 kg 4 lb 8 oz plums, halved, stones removed
- 4 red onions quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2¼ cups 500 g white (granulated) sugar
- 2 cups 500 ml apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp five-spice powder here or store bought
- 1 tsp chilli flakes or to taste
Instructions
- Combine the plums, onions and garlic in a food processor and blitz to a purée.
- (I need to do this in a couple of batches to fit in the food processor bowl.)
- Pour the purée into a large saucepan and add the sugar, vinegar, five-spice powder and chilli.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Stir it every 10 minutes so it doesn’t stick and burn on the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the sauce into sterilised jars or bottles and seal, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 weeks.
- Once opened, pop the sauce into the fridge.