In Japan, there is a variety of plum called ume. It actually resembles an apricot more than a plum, but it's called a plum. It's very astringent and when eaten raw can give a person a stomach ache, so the Japanese infuse them in alcohol and pickle them. In pickled form, these are called umeboshi.
Umeboshi are often combined with shiso leaves, so it's common to find dark purple shiso leaves with them, as shown in the photo above. These plums are very tart and salty, and if it is your first time trying them, do not pop the whole thing in your mouth! You will end up with a pucker face and your friends will point at you and laugh.
Umeboshi are often served on top of a bowl of rice, and this is a wonderful combination. The red circular umeboshi in the white rice is meant to symbolize the flag of Japan. I eat this simple dish at least once a week, taking little bites of umeboshi and scooping in mouthfuls of rice. I also enjoy umeboshi combined with shiso in maki sushi rolls.
These are easy to find in large chain grocery stores, Asian groceries, and online. Try some!
Related:
Try This: Umeshiso Maki Sushi
(Image: Kathryn Hill)
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I love umeboshi! Especially in onigiri.
I'd recommend buy umeboshi at Asian stores rather than specialty stores because they will be immensely cheaper.
How are they prepared in the photo above?
What a trip down memory lane--I used to eat these when I had a hangover.
These are awesome with shiso and cucumber. They're also fantastic in maki rolls w/ calamari! Delicious!
How are they labeled/packaged in the Asian grocery? Which aisle might they be in? I had trouble finding them.
Oh, god. I HATE umeboshi!!! So freaking salty, and such an unpleasant surprise when I was expecting just a lovely plain onigiri.
That whole "You'll end up with a pucker face" bit? Yeah, that was me. I got the whole plum in one bite, and I was NOT expecting it. I might have liked them better if that hadn't been my first experience with them.
I love it and love it!
It makes my mouth water when I see this.
hobsy, they're not prepared at all. That's how they look when they come out of the jar.
I tend to get the smaller, more firm ones which are the size of an olive, rather than the larger squishy ones. I dunno, I just like them better.
@pbelardo, they should be in the refrigerated section. They come in various jar sizes so you'll be able to see them pretty quickly. If you see pickled vegetables you'll find umeboshi nearby.
These are so tasty! Love eating them with my ochazuke.
I love umeboshi! They're also really good as a base for salad dressings. Mash one or two in a bowl, add rice vinegar, sesame oil, and scallions and drizzle over seaweed and cucumbers.
So glad to find this post as I have a jar of these that I'm trying to use. Has anyone ever tried putting them in a martini to replace the olive?