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Here are the instructions for Haam Ning Mung, Chinese Salt Lemon, as I learned from my grandmother:
Collect a bunch of limes (or lemons) and scrub well. Place a layer of them in a large glass jar. Add enough rock salt to just cover. repeat the layers of salt and lemon until the jar is full. Put on the lid. A plastic lid is best.
Place the jar on the roof of your carport or other accessible sunny place that the cats won’t knock it off. (It’s heavy, but they will try!)
Let sit all summer. Bring inside if you get snow. They will be useable in 6-12 months of sunshine. They are better after 2-3 years. There is no upper age limit. They just keep getting better.
In addition to seasoning certain dishes (they may be listed in ingredients as Velvet Lemon) and as a snack, they are use as a sore throat remedy. Simply suck on a small piece of the peel to stimulate salivation and ease sore throat. It also helps replace electrolytes lost due to illness.
If you keep it a long time, eventually you will have a lot of juice in the bottom of the jar. This can be used as a glaze on duck, as sore throat syrup, etc.
Hawaiʻi variations:
* Add li hing mui powder before setting to ferment
* Add licorice football before setting to ferment
* Cut lemons/limes in half and squeeze, reserve the juice for other things. Put a spoonful of sugar inside each half, then pack in jar as normal.
