Ingredients

2 inches peeled fresh ginger 

2 pounds ripe red plums, halved, pitted, and coarsely chopped, plus thin wedges for garnish (about 9 plums total) 

1 1/3 cups sugar 

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Preparation

Pulse ginger in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer ginger to a large saucepan. Add plums, sugar, salt, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and plums have broken down, about 15 minutes.

Pour plum mixture through a fine sieve into a 9-by-13-inch shallow nonreactive dish; discard solids. Stir in vanilla. Chill in freezer until edges are frozen, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from freezer; scrape with fork tines, pulling from edges into center. Return to freezer. Repeat process every 30 minutes until mixture is the texture of shaved ice, about 4 1/2hours. Spoon into serving bowls, and garnish with plums.