Soda Xi Muoi (Vietnamese Preserved Plum Drink)

On a hot day, nothing beats the refreshing sweet-sour tang of a Soda Xi Muoi (Vietnamese Preserved Plum Drink). The recipe is so simple that it really isn't even a recipe.

Soda Xi Muoi (Vietnamese Preserved Plum Drink)

You'll need:
1 or 2 xi muoi (Vietnamese preserved plums)
As much sugar as you'd like
Club soda, seltzer, or any other clear carbonated beverage of your choice

A little goes a long way, so you really only need one or two preserved plums for a nice big glass.


Place the xi muoi in a glass and add the clear carbonated beverage of your choice. Then add sugar. Stir. The preserved plums will soften and flavor the drink even more as time goes by.

If you don't want a carbonated drink, you can just add hot water as if you're making tea. This will extract maximum flavor that much faster. Add sugar and ice if you wish.

My other Vietnamese drink recipes:
Ca Phe Sua Da/Ca Phe Sua Nong (Vietnamese Milk Coffee Iced/Vietnamese Milk Coffee Hot)
Chanh Muoi (Vietnamese Salty Lemonade)
Rau Ma (Vietnamese Pennywort Juice)
Sinh To Bo (Vietnamese Avocado Shake)
Sinh To Ca Chua (Vietnamese Tomato Shake)
Sinh To Dam (Vietnamese Aloe Vera Shake)
Tra Atiso (Vietnamese Artichoke Tea)
Tra Xa (Vietnamese Lemongrass Tea)

*****
1 year ago today, the coolest kids' meals ever at Chick-fil-A - Upland.
2 years ago today, golf ball-sized wontons at Won Ton Time - Alhambra (Closed).

Xi Muoi (Vietnamese Preserved Plums)

Not much to say about xi muoi (Vietnamese preserved plums). I used to treat them like candy, sucking on the puckering sour-sweetness until every last bit of flavor was extracted.

Cooking with them, however, I know of two uses: as a drink or as a plummy sweet and sour sauce. The flavor is so distinct that there really is no other substitute.

These preserved plums are already dried out so you can leave them in your pantry almost indefinitely. They normally are brown, the ones I have are obviously dyed red. I wanted a bit of color for the sweet and sour sauce, you see.

My xi muoi recipes:
Soda Xi Muoi (Vietnamese Preserved Plum Drink)
Suon Kho Xi Muoi (Vietnamese Braised Pork Chops with Preserved Plums)

An explanation of guides, how-tos, and ingredients can be found in Peek in My Kitchen.

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1 year ago today, IKEA - Covina.
2 years ago today, persimmons.
3 years ago today, Korean barbecue on a rock slab and kimchee fried rice at Seol Ak San - Stanton.

Kum Lee (Kho Bo Mut) - Westminster (Little Saigon)

My day with Lan of Angry Asian Creations wasn't quite done. After our lunch at Quan Vy Da Restaurant - Westminster (Little Saigon), she wanted some xi muoi (Vietnamese preserved plums).

We could have hit up one of the many locations of Vua Kho Bo, but I decided to go the mom and pop business route and took her to Kum Lee (Kho Bo Mut), located in the Asian Village Mall.

Vast selection of beef, venison, squid, and fish jerky in the back. Dried and preserved fruits along the walls.


Red watermelon seeds. Dried mangoes.


More dried and preserved fruits that I can't remember.


Close-up of the jerky.


Store-made lap xuong (Chinese sausage).


Anyway, just another option if you're in the mood for some Vietnamese jerky, dried fruit, and candies.

We chilled for a bit across the street at the Asian Garden Mall before stopping off at Ba Tu Trai Cay Ngon - Westminster (Little Saigon) to get some mangosteens.

Kum Lee (Kho Bo Mut) (Located in the Asian Village Mall)
9191 Bolsa Ave., #129
Westminster, CA 92683
714-897-6381

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1 year ago today, memories of my paternal grandmother and her signature dish -- banh nam (Vietnamese steamed flat rice dumplings with shrimp and pork).
2 years ago today, muop (Vietnamese loofah).
3 years ago today, goi ga (Vietnamese chicken salad).