Black plum is a type of fruit that appears in autumn and is a favorite of many people. It is also a medicinal taste in folklore. Black plum also helps make your braised fish and braised meat dish tastier. Black plum can be processed into many delicious dishes such as soaked in soy sauce, preserved fruit, and jam. However, the black plum season is very short, so many people think about how to preserve black plum all year round.
To make the black plum tasty, the most important step is the braising process. If you braise it too much, the plum will be mushy, and if you braise it too little, the plum will be hard. In that case, follow the steps below to ensure consistent results every time.
Choose ripe black plum
Ripe black plum has a long and evenly-shaped body with no wrinkles. When touched, the fruit feels firm and has a layer of white powder on the outer skin that is not cracked. Black plum needs to be stored in a well-ventilated place, avoid keeping it in a plastic bag for too long as the heat will cause the skin to peel and affect the taste.
Properly prepare the black plum
If you want to reduce the sourness of black plums, you need to prepare them properly. If you have a woven straw basket, put the plums in, wash and rub them. If you don’t have one, use a plastic or stainless steel basket. Rub the plums in the basket to remove the sap, then soak them in water to clean. Rubbing 2-3 times will reduce the sourness.
How to braise the black plum
You pour enough water into a pot to submerge the plums, about 2 finger joints deep. If there is not enough water, the plums will not reach the right temperature and their skin will be unevenly cooked. If there is too much water, the plums will become firm.
The best temperature for braising black plum is around 60 degrees Celsius. If the water is hotter, the plum will become hard. If the water is less, the plum will not be fully cooked and the aroma will diminish.
You can add salt to the braising water to preserve the black plum longer.
To check the water temperature, you can use a thermometer if you have one. If you observe with your naked eye, pay attention to when the water boils, and you see small bubbles forming on the bottom and sides of the pot. Don’t worry too much about the water being too hot. You can also mix 3 parts boiling water with 2 parts cold water to get water at the appropriate temperature for braising. When the water is warm, pour the plums in, cover the pot, and braise for about 30 minutes.
After braising, use a knife to split the plum in half, remove the pit. If you have time, you can crack the seed to extract the nut inside, it is delicious and creamy.
After braising, you can store the black plums in the freezer for use throughout the year. You can also soak the plums in soy sauce, and when doing so, you can leave the pits intact.
Black plum braised fish, black plum braised pork belly, and black plum sticky rice are all delicious dishes that you should try.
