Chamoy (sauce)

Chamoy (Spanish pronunciation: [tʃaˈmoj]) is a variety of savory sauces and condiments in Mexican cuisine made from pickled fruit.

Chamoy may range from a liquid to a paste consistency, and typically its flavor is salty, sweet, sour, and spiced with chilies.

All of them ultimately originate from the Chinese Li Hing Mui (Huà Méi 話梅) snacks, made from dried, sour, and salty plums or berries.

They originate from the li hing mui recipes carried by Chinese immigrants (sangley) to the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period.

[1][2][3][4] The second hypothesis is via 19th-century Chinese workers in Hawaii that also carried the tradition of li hing mui with them as salted and dried apricots.

In this version, the name "chamoy" is supposedly derived from 西梅, see mui ([siː muːi]), which is more accurately a catchall term for dried fruit (especially plums) in Hawaii.

Because of the combination of salt, sweetness and heat, chamoy is advertised as a condiment for a wide variety of foods ranging from fresh fruit and juices to potato chips and assorted nuts.

[9] Thicker chamoy with a pastier consistency are occasionally sold in small jars, appropriate to use as a dip for vegetables or firmer fruits.

Favorite combination flavors in both raspados and paletas include pineapple, cucumber, lime, mango, orange, tangerine, tamarind and watermelon.