Crack seed is a category of snacks that originated in China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

. It is highly popular in many regions like Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

. Crack seed is basically preserved fruits that have been cracked or split with the seed or kernel partially exposed as a flavor enhancement. Common Chinese

Chinese language

The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...

 terms for this category of snacks is Li hing mui

Li hing mui

Li hing mui is salty dried plum. It can be found in Hawaiian and Asian markets. It has a strong, distinctive flavor, and is often said to be an acquired taste, as it has a combination of sweet, sour, and salty taste. It has also been described as tart, and even tangy. Originally from China, the...

and see mui siː muːi. The snack came with Cantonese immigrants

Chinese immigration to Hawaii

The Chinese in Hawaii frequently referred to by their Hawaiian name Pākē, constitute about 4.7% of the state's population, most of whom have ancestors from Zhongshan in Guangdong. This number does not include people of mixed Chinese and Hawaiian descent...

 in the 19th century to Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

 when they were brought to work the plantations.

The flavors are wide and varied ranging from extremely sweet and salty with sour tastes being a possibility as well. Flavors can include rock salt plum, honey mango, licorice peach, or any kind of marriage between fruit, flavor types or preservative ingredient. The largest innovator of flavors in this category is the Yick Lung Company (translates to 'profitable enterprise') which produces and distributes many varieties. What originally was a food category, preserved fruit, has become a favorite snack of Hawaiian children and a unique cultural food.

Crack seed stores also sell candies such as gummi bears, and Sour Patch Kids, coated with Li Hing Mui.