Chamoy

Ingredients

Fruit

• 150 gdried apricots
• 100 gdried hibiscus flowers, jamaica
• 50 gdried prunes or dried mango

Chilli

• 4guajillo chillies, seeds removed
• 2chiles de árbol, for heat

Also

• 500 mlwater
• 150 gsugar or piloncillo
• juice of 3 limes
• 2 tbspsalt
• 1 tbspchilli powder such as Tajín

To serve

• over sliced mango, jicama and cucumber
• on the rim of a michelada
• over shaved ice

Directions

1. Remove the seeds and stems from both. Now toasting the chillies, which needs care. Press them flat against a hot dry pan for ten to fifteen seconds a side.
2. Toast them briefly and watch them constantly, since a scorched chilli turns acrid and makes the whole batch bitter. Put the dried fruit, hibiscus and toasted chillies in hot water and soak for an hour until soft.
3. Keep the soaking water, which is full of flavour and colour. Simmer everything together for fifteen to twenty minutes until very soft. Add the sugar and let it dissolve. Now blending it until fully smooth. Blend until completely smooth.
4. Blend it thoroughly, since chamoy should be smooth enough to pour from a bottle. Straining removes chilli skins and fruit fibre, which would otherwise block a squeeze bottle and feel gritty.
5. Discard the solids left behind. Add the salt generously, more than feels comfortable. Add plenty of fresh lime juice off the heat.
6. Add it off the heat, since cooking dulls the brightness that the sourness depends on. Use fresh lime rather than bottled. Taste it and adjust: more salt, more lime, more sugar, more chilli.
7. Keep tasting until all four flavours are clearly present and none dominates. It should make you react, which is the point of it.

Technique

• It descends from salted preserved plums brought by Chinese and Japanese immigrants.
• All four flavours must be present: salty, sour, sweet and picante.
• The salt is not optional and homemade versions are usually under-salted.

Substitutions

• Dried mango or tamarind in place of apricot.
• Any mild dried chilli in place of guajillo.

Variations

• Made with tamarind, which is sharper.
• Made hotter, with more chile de árbol.
• Thickened further, as a paste for coating sweets.

History

Descended from salted preserved plums brought by Chinese and Japanese immigrants; Mexico reworked them into a chili, lime and apricot condiment for snacks.

Frequently asked questions

What is Chamoy?

Chamoy is a sauce & condiment from Mexico: salty-sour-sweet fruit sauce poured over mango, jicama and iced drinks. Descended from salted preserved plums brought by Chinese and Japanese immigrants; Mexico reworked them into a chili, lime and apricot condiment for snacks.

How long does Chamoy take to make?

Chamoy takes 20 min plus 1 hr soaking of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 500 ml. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Chamoy?

Yes, within limits. Dried mango or tamarind in place of apricot. Any mild dried chilli in place of guajillo.

What is the most important thing to get right in Chamoy?

Toast them briefly and watch them constantly, since a scorched chilli turns acrid and makes the whole batch bitter. Put the dried fruit, hibiscus and toasted chillies in hot water and soak for an hour until soft.