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Plum Sauce

By Kevin Pang

Published on October 19, 2025

Time

30 minutes, plus 15 minutes cooling

Yield

Makes about 1 cup

Plum Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup apricot preserves or jam ½ cup Chinese white rice vinegar ½ cup water 2 salted pickled plums, pitted and mashed (2 tablespoons)1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced thin⅛ teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes

Before You Begin

If pickled plums are unavailable, they can be omitted; add an extra 1 tablespoon vinegar to the sauce mixture before simmering.

Instructions

  1. Whisk 1 cup apricot preserves or jam, ½ cup Chinese white rice vinegar, and ½ cup water together in small saucepan until combined. Stir in 2 tablespoons pitted and mashed salted pickled plums; 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced thin; and ⅛ teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and sauce coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. Discard ginger. Let sauce cool to room temperature before serving, about 15 minutes. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; let come to room temperature before serving.)
Plum Sauce
Photography by Kritsada Panichgul. Styling by Christine Tobin.

Plum Sauce

Headshot of Kevin Pang
By Kevin Pang

Published on October 19, 2025

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Time

30 minutes, plus 15 minutes cooling

Yield

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

1 cup apricot preserves or jam
½ cup Chinese white rice vinegar
½ cup water
2 salted pickled plums, pitted and mashed (2 tablespoons)
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced thin
⅛ teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes

Ingredients

1 cup apricot preserves or jam
½ cup Chinese white rice vinegar
½ cup water
2 salted pickled plums, pitted and mashed (2 tablespoons)
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced thin
⅛ teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes

Ingredients

1 cup apricot preserves or jam
½ cup Chinese white rice vinegar
½ cup water
2 salted pickled plums, pitted and mashed (2 tablespoons)
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced thin
⅛ teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes

Why This Recipe Works

Sour pickled plums offset the sweetness and mellowed the acidity of this sauce.

Before You Begin

If pickled plums are unavailable, they can be omitted; add an extra 1 tablespoon vinegar to the sauce mixture before simmering.

Instructions

  1. Whisk 1 cup apricot preserves or jam, ½ cup Chinese white rice vinegar, and ½ cup water together in small saucepan until combined. Stir in 2 tablespoons pitted and mashed salted pickled plums; 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced thin; and ⅛ teaspoon Sichuan chili flakes. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and sauce coats back of spoon, about 15 minutes. Discard ginger. Let sauce cool to room temperature before serving, about 15 minutes. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; let come to room temperature before serving.)

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