Dazz Switalla Flavour Secrets No.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz

A long time ago, from memory when I was about eight, I fell from a scratchy old plum tree while trying to pick plums and broke my arm.

I can remember the pain, the hideous distorted arm, and the large dark violet, juicy, tasty plums covered in a waxy white bloom.

Without risking life and limb these days it's just as easy to get some from the farmers' market and please don't be fooled by the imported ones at the supermarket. Try before you buy is the best way, especially with dark fruits like grapes, cherries and plums, especially. Now wouldn't that go down a treat? If everyone did that, it would be anarchy at the supermarket!

Plums are a very diverse fruit, coming in a wide range of colours and sizes and there are over forty varieties, from greengage to damson. Plums are used to make a wide range of alcoholic drinks, jams and sauces, dried as prunes, and great eaten fresh or used in baking. Plums are high in antioxidants and have a natural laxative effect, as we sometimes find out after eating too much.

This week, as the plum varieties come and go so quickly, I think it's time to make some plum sauce that can be kept and used when needed. I used Billington plums for this recipe but any dark-fleshed plum will do.

Quick Asian-inspired Plum Sauce
Makes 1.5 litres

Ingredients

1700g dark plums

6 discs palm sugar

½ cup rice vinegar

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

2 star anise, crushed

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tsp red chilli sauce

1 tsp sea salt

½ C hoisin sauce

Method

Wash the plums and place everything in a stainless steel pot. Bring to a simmer, stirring so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Cook for 25 minutes then mash gently so everything is pulpy. Strain though a colander or conical sieve. If requiring a thicker sauce, thicken with a little cornflour and water made into a paste and cook again for a few minutes. You can put into sterilised jars or wine bottles with screw caps. Use with your barbecue pork chops or sausages and great with spring rolls and Asian style wontons or dumplings.