Thinking of topping your meat with ketchup again? This plum sauce might just become your new favorite topping

Want to add a little something extra to your dish? Try a spicy plum sauce with cinnamon and star anise—it'll bring out the familiar flavors of meat, poultry, or fish in a new way, and its sweet and sour profile with warm, spicy notes will leave no one indifferent.

Preparing the plums. Remove the pits from the plums. Sprinkle the plums with sugar and let them sit for 30 minutes. This step allows the sugar to draw the juices out of the plums, ensuring even heating over the fire.

Initial heat treatment. Place the mixture on the stove and cook for 20 minutes.

Homogenization. Blend the plums until smooth.

Add spices and reduce. Add cinnamon, star anise, and lemon juice. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Monitor the consistency: the sauce should reach a slightly thick consistency.

Finishing: Remove the star anise from the sauce. The spice releases its aroma when heated, but it shouldn't be left in the finished product.

Preserving: Pour the hot sauce into sterilized jars.