Craft Your Own Chamoy Sauce
A vibrant, homemade Mexican plum sauce balancing sweet, spicy, sour, and salty notes, perfect for elevating fruits, snacks, and drinks. It's an easy way to bring authentic Mexican flavors to your kitchen.
Ingredients
- 3 medium plums or nectarines (12 ounces
- 3 dried guajillo chiles (or 2 ancho chiles
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup fresh orange juice
Instructions
- 1. Rehydrate the chiles: Place guajillo (or ancho) chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve a quarter cup of the soaking liquid, discarding stems and seeds. 2. Prepare the fruit: If using plums, pit and roughly chop them. If using nectarines, pit and chop. 3. Blend the ingredients: In a blender, combine the rehydrated chiles (with a splash of the reserved soaking liquid if needed to help blend), chopped plums or nectarines, granulated sugar, and fresh orange juice. Blend until very smooth. 4. Simmer the sauce: Pour the blended mixture into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon. 5. Cool and store: Remove from heat and let the chamoy cool completely before transferring to an airtight jar or container. Store in the refrigerator for optimal freshness.
Notes
For a spicier kick, you can add a pinch of ground arbol chili or an extra chile de arbol to the blend. Adjust sugar to your preferred sweetness. For a smoother sauce, strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve after blending. Store your homemade chamoy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It's excellent with fresh fruit, dried mango, or as a dip for candies.