7/3/2007

Umeboshi (Japanese: 梅干; literally “dried 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 high citric acid content. Umeboshi are often cited in Japan as being extremely healthy, despite the high salt content.

Umeboshi are traditionally made by harvesting ume fruit when they ripen around June and packing them in barrels with salt. A weight is placed on top and the fruit gradually exude juices, which accumulate at the bottom of the barrel. This salty, sour liquid is marketed as umezu “ume vinegar,” although it is not a true vinegar. 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.

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.