Hawaiian Prune Mui to celebrate 100th recipe

Prune Mui is an unique Hawaiian dried fruit local snack. It is basically marinaded dried fruit.  This is one of those local favorite with Chinese root. Mui in Chinese refers to preserved fruit.  The fruit consist of prune (of course), mixture of dried fruit such as apricot, cherry, dried berries. One of the key ingredient is "Wet lemon peel" it is preserved lemon. You can get it in a bag in Hawaiian on the snack isle. It is not available here, so I need to make my own. With not all the ingredients  are ready available on mainland, I adapted this recipe to what we can easily find in the grocery stores. I also have to adjust the method a little for our winter season here.
Prune Mui is very popular around the Holidays, great to share with friends and family. Give this a try!
I made my own preserved lemon here. It is very simple, just need some patience. Recipe is included at the end.

Hawaiian Prune Mui (Marinaded dried fruit snack)
1 lb dried pitted prunes

1 lb dried apricot

Make 3 cups of dried fruit of your choice:
Suggestion: dried tart cherries
                   dried blueberry
                   cranberry
                   candied ginger, but into small pieces.
1 Preserved lemon
5-6 preserved Kumquat (optional)
2 cups brown sugar
2 tbsp Hawaiian Alaea salt (red salt)
1 tsp Li Hing powder
1/2 tsp five spice powder
1 tsp whole cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp whisky, scotch or brandy
Directions:
Chopped preserved lemon into small pieces, make sure  all the seeds were removed. Set aside

Add brown sugar in a large bowl, add Hawaiian salt

Li Hing Powder

Five spice powder

Add all the dried fruit

Top with the preserved lemon, mix well.

Drizzle with lemon juice. Mix well

Add clove

Top with whisky, make sure everything is mixed it and all the fruit is coated with the seasoning

At this point, we can pack the fruit into a large sterilized jar or jars. Let the fruit sit at room temperature for 2-3 days, the sugar will start to melt and combine with the fruit.

Since I am in MN and we are in the middle of the winter, the sugar will not melt in this temperature.
Here is the alternative method
Transfer all mixed fruit to a large pot over low heat till the sugar melt

Pack the fruit into the jar once the sugar melted and the fruit is well combined

Pack the fruit into 1 large jar, or 4 pt size jars.

Let the fruit "sit" for 2-3 days to develop the flavor.  The fruit will be sticky with a sweet and salt taste. Traditionally, you don't need to refrigerate this since it is dried fruit, however if you live in a humid climate, I would store the jar in the fridge.

You will find the Preserved lemon recipe next.

Enjoy
Aloha