Brief encounter
In Hong Kong, it's easier to find hard, green, sour apricots than it is to get the ripe fruit. For about two months in the spring, vegetable vendors sell the unripe fruit - which cooks preserve with salt, vinegar or rice wine - then, very briefly, they'll have beautifully coloured ripe apricots. The season comes and goes so fast that if you want the fruit ripe, you'll need to check the markets every two or three days. Apricots cannot be kept waiting.
A really good ripe apricot is fragrant, sweet, juicy and firm yet tender, but these qualities are hard to find, even in areas where the fruit is cultivated. The ideal fruit - at least aesthetically - is apricot-orange with a reddish blush on the skin (this blush does not add to the flavour, though). Apricots are also available as frozen puree, in cans or jars and dried. If possible, taste the dried fruit before buying because it varies greatly in quality, and producers often use too much sulfur (used to prevent the fruit from discolouring and darkening as it dries), which can cause shortness of breath.
On the rare occasions when you find perfectly sweet, fragrant fresh apricots, they are best enjoyed plain. If the fruit is less than perfect, though, it usually tastes better after being cooked.
Dried apricots can be made into sweet and savoury dishes. I love them in a Middle Eastern lamb tagine.
Cut slightly fatty lamb into large chunks, season with salt and pepper then brown in hot fat in a skillet. Remove the lamb from the skillet, drain off most of the fat, add minced onion and garlic and cook over a low heat until soft. Add minced fresh ginger, a cinnamon stick (broken into several pieces), a few cloves and cardamom pods, some saffron and ground spices such as cayenne, cumin, black pepper and paprika. Cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted and fragrant. Put the lamb back into the pan, add some chopped tomato, lamb or chicken stock and a handful of dried apricots. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat, cover and braise until the lamb is tender. Serve with couscous.
