Umeboshi ( Japanese: 梅干し, pronounced , literally 'dried ume') are pickled (

brined In food processing, brining is treating food with brine or coarse salt which preserves and seasons the food while enhancing tenderness and flavor with additions such as herbs, spices, sugar, caramel or vinegar. Meat and fish are typically ...

) '' ume'' fruits common in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

. The word ''umeboshi'' is often translated into English as 'salted Japanese plums', 'Japanese plums' or 'preserved plums'. ''Ume'' ('' Prunus mume'') is a species of fruit-bearing tree in the genus ''

Prunus ''Prunus'' is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes (among many others) the fruits plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and almonds. Native to the North American temperate regions, the neotropics of South America, and the ...

'', which is often called a "

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found ...

", but is actually more closely related to the

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus '' Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are al ...

. Pickled ''ume'' which are not dried are called ''umezuke'' (梅漬け). Umeboshi are a popular kind of Japanese '' tsukemono'' ('pickled thing'; preserved or fermented) and are extremely sour and salty. Sweet umeboshi made with honey also exist. They are usually served as a side dish for

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

or eaten on rice balls (often without removing the pit) for breakfast and lunch. They are occasionally served boiled or seasoned for dinner.

Physical characteristics

Umeboshi are usually round and vary from smooth to very wrinkled. Usually they taste salty, and are extremely sour due to high

citric acid Citric acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula HOC(CO2H)(CH2CO2H)2. It is a colorless weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, which occurs in ...

content, but sweeter versions exist as well.Itoh, Makiko,
Umeboshi: perfect in any culinary pickle
, ''

Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc.. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

'', 25 May 2012, p. 18 The central area of

Wakayama prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Wakayama Prefecture has a population of 944,320 () and has a geographic area of . Wakayama Prefecture borders Osaka Prefecture to the north, and Mie Prefecture and Nara Prefecture ...

is known throughout Japan for the number and quality of its ume and umeboshi. The town of Minabe, Wakayama, in particular, grows more ume and produces more umeboshi than any other town in Japan.

Production

Umeboshi are traditionally made by harvesting ume fruit when they ripen around June and packing them in barrels with 20%

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

per weight of fruit. The salt extracts juice, which the ume then soak in for about two weeks. This salty, sour liquid is marketed as '' umezu'' ( 梅酢; often calqued as 'ume vinegar', although it is not a true

vinegar Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains 5–8% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting simple sugars to eth ...

.) Many varieties of umeboshi sold on the market are desalinated to a certain extent and re-soaked in a flavoring liquid. They are sometimes dyed red using purple perilla herbs (called ''akajiso'') or flavoured with ''

katsuobushi is simmered, smoked and fermented skipjack tuna (''Katsuwonus pelamis'', sometimes referred to as bonito). It is also known as bonito flakes. ''Katsuobushi'' or similarly prepared fish is also known as . Shaved ''katsuobushi'' and dried ...

'', '' kombu'' or even sweetened with

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

. Because these flavored varieties end up at 3% to 15% salt content, they usually contain a natural or artificial preservative to extend shelf life. Natural preservatives include vinegar, alcohol and vitamin B1.

Consumption

Umeboshi are usually eaten in small quantities with

, for added flavor. It is also a common ingredient in '' onigiri'', rice balls wrapped with ''

nori Nori is a dried edible seaweed used in Japanese cuisine, made from species of the red algae genus '' Pyropia'', including ''P. yezonesis'' and '' P. tenera''. It has a strong and distinctive flavor, and is often used to wrap rolls of sushi or ...

'' and they may also be used in ''

makizushi is a Japanese dish of prepared , usually with some sugar and salt, accompanied by a variety of , such as seafood Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include ...

''. ''Makizushi'' made with umeboshi may be made with either pitted umeboshi or umeboshi paste (which is cheaper), often in conjunction with slivered fresh green perilla (''shiso'') leaves. The standard Japanese folk remedy for colds and flus is ''

okayu Congee or conjee ( ) is a type of rice porridge or gruel eaten in Asian countries. It can be eaten plain, where it is typically served with side dishes, or it can be served with ingredients such as meat, fish, seasonings and flavourings, most o ...

'' (rice

congee Congee or conjee ( ) is a type of rice porridge or gruel eaten in Asian countries. It can be eaten plain, where it is typically served with side dishes, or it can be served with ingredients such as meat, fish, seasonings and flavourings, most ...

) with umeboshi. Another usage of umeboshi is in ume

chazuke ''Chazuke'' ( 茶漬け, ちゃづけ) or ''ochazuke'' ( お茶漬け, from ( o)''cha'' ' tea' + ''tsuke'' 'submerge') is a simple Japanese dish made by pouring green tea,shochu'' and hot water. Umeboshi are often eaten as snacks; in the United States and Australia, many Japanese grocery stores stock them. Eating umeboshi in Japan is the equivalent of the English expression "an apple a day". Children's candy shops sometimes carry '' karikari ume'', or prepackaged, crunchy pickled ume, and dried umeboshi.

Health

This Japanese style traditional condiment is believed to be a digestive aid, prevention of nausea, and for systemic toxicity, including hangovers. Green ume extract is used as a tonic in Japan. The citric acid is believed to act as an antibacterial, help to increase saliva production and assist in the digestion of rice. Additionally, umeboshi is claimed to combat fatigue (historically given as part of a samurai's field ration) and protect against aging.

Nutrition

Pitted traditional umeboshi per 100 g contains: (English version of the :ja:日本食品標準成分表) * Direct link to the XLSX file: * Item No.=07022 "Umeboshi" (pickled and dried mume), salted pickles (traditional salty recipe) * Item No.=07023 "Umeboshi" (pickled and dried mume), seasoned pickles (reduced-salt version) * Column W: Sodium (mg/100g); Column BE: Salt equivalent (g/100g). "Salt equivalent" is not "Sodium". In Japanese food labels, the amount of sodium is often not printed and salt equivalent value is used instead, which is roughly 2.5 times larger than the amount of sodium. *Energy 138 kJ *Protein 0.9 g *Fat 0.2 g *Carbohydrate 10.5 g *Sodium 8700 mg *Potassium 440 mg *Manganese 0.23 mg *VitaminA 7 μg *VitaminB₁ 0.02 mg *VitaminB₂ 0.01 mg *Cholesterol 0 mg *Dietary fiber 3.6 g *Water 65.1 g Traditional (non-reduced sodium versions) umeboshi are roughly one quarter salt.

Similar foods

The umeboshi style of pickling is common in Japan and is similar in style to other Asian preserved pickling techniques found in China, Vietnam, and Korea.The 150 healthiest foods on earth. By Johnny Bowden In Vietnam, a very similar variety of pickled ume is called ''xí muội'' or ''ô mai''. In the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, this is called kiamoy or

tsampoy Kiamoy (also spelled kiamuy or kiam muy, or in Philippine Spanish as ciamoy), is a class of Filipino treats made with dried sour plums, prunes, or apricots preserved in brine and vinegar. They are sold covered in a powdery coating of an anise ...

, and is usually drier. Kiamoy and tsampoy were two types of Filipino-Chinese plum pickle that was transported to

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

via the

Manila galleon fil, Galyon ng Maynila , english_name = Manila Galleon , duration = From 1565 to 1815 (250 years) , venue = Between Manila and Acapulco , location = New Spain ( Spanish Empir ...

, where it is known as '' chamoy'' and is usually made with

, ume or

tamarind Tamarind (''Tamarindus indica'') is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is probably indigenous to tropical Africa. The genus ''Tamarindus'' is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabacea ...

and a mix of salt and dry chili. In

South Asian South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...

countries, Indian gooseberries called ''amla'' in

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

or ''amala'' in

Nepali Nepali or Nepalese may refer to : Concerning Nepal * Anything of, from, or related to Nepal * Nepali people, citizens of Nepal * Nepali language, an Indo-Aryan language found in Nepal, the current official national language and a language spoken ...

is prepared in similar way, sometimes with sugar syrup. In Mexico, it is known as '' chamoy'' and is usually made with

, ume or

and a mix of salt and dry chili. In South Africa, a similar style of preserved dried fruit is called ''mebos'' in

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gr ...

, the name of which seems to derive from the Japanese via Dutch trade. Usually, apricot is used to produce a salty, acidic variety, although other, sweetened varieties made from other fruits are also colloquially called ''mebos''.

References

External links

Homemade pickled ume and various recipes
{{Authority control Japanese cuisine Japanese pickles Plum dishes