Spicy Asian Plum Dipping Sauce

Dreary day here to end out February.
Rain, cold.  Ready for spring...............

 To warm things up, I decided to use up some lovely plums I got at the local Asian market and try a dipping sauce recipe that I canned using apricots back in 2010.  Its been a popular gift I've given out so I wanted to see how it would work with plums instead of apricots. Feel free to use Apricots instead of plums here.  I used canned Apricots the first time and it was delicious. 

Here's the recipe, made sugar free this time except for what sugar is in the plums of course:

10 Ripe Red Plums (pits and stems removed and cut in quarters)
1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Tamari Soy Sauce
1 inch of fresh Ginger, chopped
2 whole cloves of Garlic, no need to dice
1 sliced Jalapeno Pepper seeds included
1/2 tsp Stevia

My broken up Star Anise supply.  Time for some new I think.

2 Star Anise (optional but it is good if you have some)

If you are not canning this sauce, just put all of the ingredients listed above in a medium size pot and boil, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes on medium to reduce down the plums and meld the flavors. Remove from the heat and let it sit for a few to cool down some. Using an immersion blender, work through the plums to create a thick sauce much like a Salsa texture. And that's it. Store it, freeze it, use it up within a month if it's not frozen. It goes great with chips, Fried Chicken, egg rolls. If you "can" the sauce. You'll need a little more prep.             

                                                                                          

You'll need to prepare at least 4 1/2 Pint size canning jars.  Sterilize and have them ready to go when your Plum sauce is ready.  See this site for proper water bath canning process. http://www.homecanning.com/ Prepare the sauce just the same as outlined above and then set your pot near your canning jars.  Ladle the sauce into each jar leaving 1/4 inch head space in each one.  Wipe down the outside and top rims carefully to remove any sauce that may have dripped and place a lid and ring on each jar, tightening just until a resistance is felt, they shouldn't be screwed on overly tight for the boiling water process.  Place the jars down into your water bath canning pot so the each jar has water covering the top by at least 1 inch.   Bring to a boil and time the canning process 10 minutes at a full boil.  Remove them from the heat carefully sliding the pot off of the burner and let them sit there untouched for about 15 minutes.  Using a canning jar clamp, carefully remove each jar from the pot and sit them on top of a dish towel in an undrafty area.  Don't move them for at least 8 hours so that they can set up and cool.  After this, check to make sure each jar sealed correctly, remove the outer ring before storing.  Label, enjoy within the next 2 years. 

Enjoy!

Thanks for everyone who's entered the Great Gadget Giveaway, contest ends Saturday March 3.

This post is linked to: http://tessadomesticdiva.blogspot.com/2012/02/allergy-free-wednesdays-6.html