Discover the top 10 delicious and enticing ways to make dried fruit snacks at home.

2. Tangy Plum

Ingredients:

• 1 kg fresh plums (choose ripe plums that are still firm, not rotten, not bruised)
• 600 grams white sugar
• 1 lime
• 2 large ginger roots

Instructions:

• First, prepare lime water by mixing 5 grams of lime with 1 liter of clean water, stir well, then let it settle, pour out the clear lime water, and discard the sediment at the bottom.
• For 1 kg of plums, you will need 2 liters of lime water, so prepare enough lime water to soak the plums.
• Wash the plums thoroughly, use a knife to score around each plum, allowing the flavor to penetrate inside for a tastier tangy plum snack.
• Soak the plums in lime water for 8 hours; to save time, soak them overnight, and you can start preparing them the next morning.
• After soaking the plums in lime water, remove them and rinse them thoroughly with clean water to remove the lime odor, then drain them in a colander.
• Next, place the plums in a large pot, add sugar, and mix well to soak. After 30 minutes, crush the ginger and continue to soak until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Turn on the gas stove, place the pot with plums, sugar, and ginger on it. Cook over low heat and stir constantly until the sugar syrup thickens, the plums change color. Add another tablespoon of crushed ginger to the simmering plums and cook for another 3 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• Once the plums are cooked, spread them on a wide tray to dry or you can dry them. When air-drying, ensure food hygiene, cover carefully to prevent flies and mosquitoes.
• The best way is to air-dry in the sun if it's sunny, but if there's no sun, you can air-dry the tangy plum indoors at room temperature.
• The drying time of the tangy plum depends on the plum's moisture content.
• If using an oven or dehydrator, simply dry for 1-1.5 hours at 100 degrees Celsius before using.

• 1 kg ripe plums
• 1 kg granulated sugar
• 0.5 kg fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon Chinese herbal orange peel
• 10 grams salt
• 10 grams alum

Directions:

• Select ripe, pleasantly tart plums. Wash them thoroughly and soak in saltwater for about 30 minutes.
• Bring 500 ml of distilled water to a boil and add a bit of alum. Stir until the alum completely dissolves, then blanch the plums in the boiling water twice to remove some of their original tartness. After blanching, remove and rinse with cold water.
• Peel and wash the fresh ginger, then grate or finely mince. You can use a blender to make a smooth paste or crush to extract some of the juice, leaving the pulp intact. Heat a pan over the stove, mix plums and sugar thoroughly until combined.
• Simmer the mixture over low heat until the sugar syrup thickens and reduces, then add ginger and stir-fry evenly for about 5 minutes. Stir a few more minutes until the plum candy with ginger turns a captivating reddish hue and the syrup thickens. Then add Chinese herbal orange peel and mix well before turning off the heat.
• Allow the ginger plum candy mixture to cool before enjoying. Alternatively, you can store it in a sealed jar and keep it at room temperature for gradual consumption during the Lunar New Year festivities.

Ingredients:

• 400g ripe plums.
• 150g brown sugar.
• 1 small spoon of salt.
• 1 slice dried tangerine peel.
• 1 small ginger root.
• A pinch of crushed licorice root.
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
• Chili powder. (optional)

Instructions:

• Peel and cut plums into halves or thirds depending on size.
• Rinse tangerine peel and cut into strips. Crush the licorice root, and grate the ginger.
• In a pot, combine plums, tangerine peel, ginger, chili powder, brown sugar, and salt over low heat. Stir occasionally and add a little boiling water until the plum mixture thickens.
• Add cornstarch to the plum mixture, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes, then let it cool.
• Divide the plum mixture into servings, roll each in a layer of crushed licorice root, and enjoy!

• Ingredients: 1 kg sour starfruit, 300g white sugar, 2 pieces of slaked lime, 10g salt, 150g fresh ginger.
• Wash and trim starfruit. Choose firm, not overly ripe fruits.
• Mix lime water (5g lime to 1 liter of water). Use 2 liters for 1kg starfruit.
• Clean ginger, keep the peel, and slice into strands.
• Detach starfruit segments and poke a few holes in each.
• Soak the segments in lime water for 8-10 hours, preferably overnight.
• Rinse soaked starfruit and drain.
• Press each segment lightly to reduce sour juice, maintaining shape.
• Layer starfruit in a large bowl with sugar and ginger slices until all are used.
• Soak in sugar until dissolved, then cook in a pot over low heat until it boils. Remove foam, add salt, and continue until the starfruit turns amber. Remove from heat, add a tablespoon of ginger, and reduce further.
• Dry the cooked starfruit slices to enjoy a delicious sweet and sour snack.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg young tamarind or tamarind pods
• 400g white sugar
• 1 piece of slaked lime
• 1 small ginger root
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions:

• Mix water with slaked lime, let it settle for 15-20 minutes, then use the clear lime water on top, discarding the sediment. Clean and shred the ginger.
• Peel and cut the tamarind into halves or quarters, remove seeds if large. Soak in lime water for 5-6 hours.
• Rinse the tamarind thoroughly and let it drain.
• Mix tamarind with sugar, let it marinate for 4 to 6 hours, adjusting sugar to taste.
• Cook the tamarind and sugar on low heat, add ginger until aromatic.
• Add chili powder, cover the pot, and stir occasionally.
• Cook until the syrup thickens and turns amber. Spread the tamarind on a rack to dry for about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag for gradual consumption.

Ingredients:

• Fresh Lemons: 700g
• Salt
• Honey: 30 ml
• Fresh Ginger
• Licorice: 20g

Method:

• Wash lemons in salt water. Poke holes in them with a fork and soak in salt water for 3-4 hours.
• Grind ginger and licorice finely.
• Mix lemons with honey for a sweet and salty flavor, add salt, and cook for about 10 minutes on low heat.
• After cooking, add ginger and licorice, mix well. Dry in the sun for 3-4 days for the desired product.

Ingredients:

• 2 oranges (use peel only)
• 30g salt, 30g sugar
• 10g licorice
• 5g cloves (optional)

Method:

• Clean the orange peel and gently press to release essential oils.
• Slice peel into thin, long strands.
• Mix peel with a little salt, gently massage for about 1 minute, then rinse.
• Mix the peel with the remaining salt and let sit for about 2 hours.
• Dry the orange peel for about a day. If there's no sun, drying in an oven at 80 - 100°C works too.
• Mix dried peel with sugar and clove powder until the sugar dissolves, then drain off any liquid. Cloves add a nice aroma.
• Heat a thick-bottomed pan, add the orange peel, and roast on very low heat until dry.
• Finally, mix the candied peel with licorice.