| Alternative names | ciamoy, kiamuy, kiam muy |
|---|---|
| Type | Sweets |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Main ingredients | fruits, salt, vinegar, sugar,anise powder |
| Variations | champóy (tsampóy, sampóy, cham-poi); champóy na sampalok (sampalok candy) |
Kiamoy (also spelledkiamuy orkiam muy, or inPhilippine Spanish asciamoy), is a class ofFilipino treats made with dried sourplums,prunes, orapricots preserved inbrine andvinegar. They are sold covered in a powdery coating of ananise (sometimeslicorice),li hing (red powder made from plum seeds), salt, and sugar mixture called "kiamoy powder" orkiam-muy-hoon (HokkienChinese:鹹梅粉;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:kiâm-muî hún;lit. 'salted plum powder'). They are characteristically bright red, orange, or light brown in color. They originate fromChinese Filipino immigrants and are derived from theli hing mui (HokkienChinese:旅行梅;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:lí-hêng muî) treats of Chinese cuisine (also calledhuamei, 話梅).[1][2] The name is derived fromPhilippine HokkienChinese:鹹梅;Pe̍h-ōe-jī:kiâm-muî;lit. 'salted plum'.[3][4]
A local variant of the kiamoy that evolved in theBicol Region of thePhilippines ischampóy (also spelledtsampóy,sampóy, orcham-poi, names which can also apply to. It differs from kiamoy in that champóy is made from the locally available berryMyrica rubra (which is also known as "champóy"). Champóy is also dark red to black in color and has a predominantly sweet and tart flavor profile, in contrast to the saltier flavor profile of kiamoy.[5][3] In modern times, the term "champóy" has also come to include the similar-tastingsampalok candy (sometimes differentiated aschampóy na sampalok), which are sweets made fromtamarind balls cooked in sugar and/or salt.[5] Champoy is derived fromCantoneseChinese:陳皮梅;Jyutping:can4 pei4 mui4-2;Cantonese Yale:chàhn pèih múi;lit. 'dried peel plum', referring tochenpi (MandarinChinese:陳皮;pinyin:chénpí).[5]
Kiamoy are popular asstreet food usually sold near schools and are also commonly eaten as a remedy forcar sickness. Kiamoy can also be infused into alcoholic drinks.[6] Kiamoy powder is also sold separately as an ingredient, and can be used as a coating forkiamoy chicken or as a dip for fruits likepomelo, fresh green mango, orpickled green mango.[7][8]
Kiamoy and champóy are believed to be the direct ancestors of theMexican treatsaladitos and thechamoy sauce derived from it. They were transported toNueva España byFilipino migrants via theManila Galleons (1565 to 1815).[4][9][10]
