Umeboshi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Umeboshi (Japanese: 梅干; literally "pickled ume") are a type of traditional Japanese pickle, known as tsukemono, and are very popular in Japan.

They are usually round, and vary from unwrinkled to very wrinkled. They taste salty, and are extremely sour due to its high citric acid content.

Umeboshi is often cited in Japan as being extremely healthy, despite the high salt content.

1 Making Umeboshi
2 Eating Umeboshi
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Making Umeboshi

Umeboshi are traditionally made by harvesting ume fruits when they ripen around June and packing them in barrels with salt. A weight is placed on top and the fruits gradually exude juices, which accumulate at the bottom of the barrel. This salty, sour liquid is marketed as umesu "ume vinegar," although it is not a true vinegar.[1] The salted fruits are then dried in the summer sun for about 3 days. Umeboshi made in this way keep extremely well (for decades or even centuries, see below), and are very salty (approx 20%).

Many modern umeboshi are not made in this way; usually less salt is used, and the ume are pickled in seasoned pickling liquid, or vinegar. These include umeboshi dyed red using purple perilla herbs (called akajiso), or flavoured with katsuobushi, kombu or even sweetened with honey.

[edit] Eating Umeboshi

Umeboshi are usually eaten with rice, in small quantities at a time due to its extreme sourness and saltiness.

As part of a bento (Japanese lunchbox), a single umeboshi is often placed in the centre of the rice to recreate the flag of Japan.
It is also a common ingredient in onigiri, rice balls wrapped in nori.

[edit] Trivia

Among the Japanese, umeboshi are believed to be good for health. The standard Japanese folk remedy for colds and flus is okayu (Japanese congee) with umeboshi.

Umeboshi's popularity as an accompaniment to bento lunch boxes is thought to be partly due to its high salt and citric acid content, which acts as a preservative for rice.

Traditionally made umeboshi can be kept for a very long time without spoiling. The oldest known umeboshi are those which were made in 1576 and remain in good condition to this day.