By Request

BETTY SHIMABUKURO

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Li hing mui sauce
a good alternative
to powders

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Derek Ching's family legacy is crack seed, and he's building on that with a liquid take-off on the ever popular li hing mui.

In the early 1900s, Ching's great-grandfather, Yee Sheong, founded the Yick Lung Co., which of course is the granddaddy of Chinese candied seeds in this part of the world. Ching says it was his grandmother, Gertrude Yee, who actually came up with the name li hing mui for the sun-dried, salty-sweet plum.

Ching's new-generation contribution is a li hing mui sauce that contains no aspartame, saccharin or monosodium glutamate. It's been marketed since January, under the name Valiente, by Ching's company, Star Pacific Trading.

Ching says the sauce diminishes the health (and taste) concerns some people have with the artificial sweeteners in li hing powders. Plus, it's smoother than a powder when it comes to mixing with marinades, drinks, etc.

Valiente Li Hing Mui Sauce is made with plum extract and Splenda, a no-calorie sweetener derived from sugar.

News of the sauce coincided with a request from Teresa Favilla: "My husband and I are on the mainland right now and would love to make Sam Choy's virgin li hing margarita over here in Washington, D.C., for family and friends."

The specialty drink served at Sam Choy's Diamond Head restaurant is a basic margarita with a dusting of li hing mui powder on the rim and on the surface.

That recipe follows, along with Valiente's recipes for a Hawaiian Margarita and pineapple smoothie using the li hing juice.

Product notes: Li hing powder is sold in many candy stores and some supermarkets. Valiente's sauce is sold at Times, Star, Foodland, Daiei, 99 Ranch and some Longs Drugs stores. It may be ordered by mail (for Favilla and other interested expatriates) via the Web site, www.vpotion.com or by calling 678-4100. A 5-ounce bottle costs $3 to $4, depending on the store.

If you'd like a taste, Ching is giving away a limited number of samples from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday at Kapono's restaurant at Aloha Tower Marketplace. Margaritas and tequila shooters featuring the sauce will be offered for sale.

Sam Choy's Li Hing Mui Margarita

1 ounce tequila
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1 ounce sweet-and-sour mix
Splash of lime juice
Splash of simple syrup (see note)
Enough ice to fill serving glass
1 teaspoon li hing mui powder

Blend liquors and ice (shake, or place in blender for a frozen margarita). Moisten the rim of the glass and dip in li hing mui powder. Pour blended margarita into glass and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon li hing mui powder. Garnish with a slice of lime. Serves 1.

For a virgin margarita: Leave out tequila and double the amounts of sweet-and-sour mix and simple syrup.

Note: To make simple syrup, mix equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat to dissolve sugar. Then boil 5 minutes to make a clear syrup.

Margarita with Li Hing Sauce

1-1/2 ounces tequila
1/3 ounce li hing mui sauce
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
3 ounces sweet-and-sour mix or lime juice
Ice

Shake ingredients together then strain into a salt-rimmed glass or glass filled with ice. Or blend ingredients in a blender. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Li Hing Pineapple Smoothie

1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
1 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons li hing mui sauce
1/2 banana, peeled
1 6-ounce can pineapple juice

Combine all ingredients in a blender with some crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Top with whipped cream if desired. Serves 1.

Variations: To cut calories, substitute low-fat yogurt for the ice cream. To make a daiquiri, add 1-1/2 ounces rum.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Food Stuffs: Morsels

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.