Does anybody eat these? I have a packet of we li hing mui and a packet of white (dry) li hing mui on my desk. The dry ones have a more intense flavour.
My mother carries a packet of dry li hing mui in her bag, to nibble on while driving or waiting for something. She loves it. I don’t care for them much; they’re a little sweet for me. There are all manner of li hing options out there, too: check some out here:
Crack Seed Center
Just take a gander through the alphabetical list of products. It boggles the mind.
For those who live in Hawai’i or grew up there, remember when the Crack Seed Center used to be near where that Sedona store is (was? I haven’t been to Ala Moana since July)? I spent lots of cash there as a kid.
Yummy… get the powered stuff, and put it into your snack mixes (like the Chex Party Mix stuff). Gives it a nice kick. Or, mix the powder with dried cranberries… gummy bears… dried fruit… you get the picture, I’m sure.
[Hmmm. Maybe I’ll request some crack seed goodies for my graduation… or make up some malasadas. 
]
Or, for real fun… get a lemon, chop it in half. Get li hing mui, plop it into the center of the half-lemon. Sprinkle sugar on top, if desired. Eat. 
<< The worms go in, the worms go out… >>
<Homer drooling sounds>
Li hing mango…
</Homer drooling sounds>
I haven’t had any in years since I haven’t been able to find them and couldn’t remember how to spell the name of them. I see the links for ordering them online – where can you get them offline?
Check out Judith’s link, lel.
So Sedona is at Ward Center and Ala Moana? I used to buy a lot of gemstone beads there.
I had friends that worked at Crack Seed Center. I didn’t buy seed or li hing mui, just a lot of Icee.
When I did have li hing foods, I preferred the dry ones. The wet stuff always oogied me out for some reason.
My bad, you said offline.
Are there any Asian markets near you?
A couple of years ago I gave a piece to my cousin and his girlfriend from Georgia. They put them in their mouth. Looking completely and utterly shocked and concerned. “Ith foabing!” one of the called out alarmed. Then they ran out of the store to spit them out. And spit some more trying to get the taste out. Ooh the look they gave me. Like I kicked their cat. I could barely contain my laughter though. Still makes me chuckle at it. Heh-heh-heh.
I love the stuff though. It tastes kinda like diet coke’s aftertaste. Although I don’t eat it often since I’d rather munch on kakimochi.
Yeah, I looked for them at some of the mega-sized Asian supermarkets before and didn’t find them – it has been a few years since I last looked, so I suppose it is time to look again.
I had never tasted this until I came to Hawai’i (2 months ago), but I’ve only had it in powder form, mixed into some sort of fruity alcoholic beverage a friend of mine is fond of. I can’t seem to work up the nerve to taste the “wet” variety that I have seen in the little baggies at the stores!
Here in Hawaii you can just about buy anything in it, li hing popcorn, li hing gummy bears, li hing pistacho nuts (I just saw these at Daiei supermarket here) , etc… A good way to eat them is to stick them in a lemon. What you do is cut a lemon in half, stick the li hing mui (use the dry, preferably the red ones) into the center and squeeze and suck out the juices. Mmmm. Sour goodness. I also like li hing powder on pineapple and mango slices.
Sedona’s is still at Ward Center not at Ala Moana. The Crackseed Center is at Ala Moana now near the pet store I believe. I vaguely remember it being at Ward but don’t they also have a store at Pealridge too? A little kiosk in front of where Shirokiya was.
Ooh I forgot another awesome li hing combination!! Li Hing Strawberry Icee. There’s a small mom and pop store out in Waialae that makes an awesome one!!
From many moons ago:
Sigh. I don’t have many stories to tell so I have to tell them over and over. Sad really.
Actually I had completely forgotton that I had posted that. Unless you think I socked. I just changed my name but keep forgetting to post my sig.
I get mine from Hilo Hattie’s across from where I work. I could probably get them much cheaper if I go into Little Saigon, but since my Vietnamese co-workers were laid off we don’t go there for lunch anymore and it’s inconvenient.