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Behind each small salted plum lies a tale of history passed down through generations of the Japanese.
Umeboshi Dreams: From royal gifts to commoners' daily fare, these salty plums carry stories of Japanese heritage through generations.
Japan is globally renowned for a culinary tradition that emphasizes natural flavors over excessive seasoning, with dishes known for their delicacy and harmony with nature across seasons. Adding a burst of color to the otherwise subtle palette of the land of the rising sun, Umeboshi plums stand out as a unique accent with their salty, tangy flavor profile.
What are Umeboshi plums?
Umeboshi is a popular salted delicacy in Japanese cuisine, made by pickling plums in salt and allowing them to dry. There are essentially two types of Umeboshi plums: yellow and red. Yellow is the natural color of the plum, while red ones are created by pickling them with red shiso leaves, a more common and widely used variety. Umeboshi is typically soft, with a sharp, salty, and sour taste. Additionally, there's another type called Umezuke that's firmer, as it's not allowed to dry.
As mentioned, the secret behind the red hue of pickled plums lies in the shared salt with shiso leaves. In early June each year, branches laden with plums mark the beginning of Japan's plum-pickling season. The plumpest, ripest fruits are carefully selected for pickling, as scratched ones are prone to mold, compromising the desired flavor.
After meticulous selection, the picklers rinse the plums and remove the stems before soaking them in salt water or strong alcohol for sterilization. Concurrently, shiso leaves are salted and lightly squeezed. The salt ratio is not fixed; it can be adjusted as more salt preserves the plums longer.
Once the preparatory steps are complete, the picklers fill jars or ceramic pots with salt and then layer plums and shiso leaves, alternating until full, before sealing tightly and storing in a dark place. Over time, the salt gradually dissolves, imparting saltiness, while the plums release their sourness and the shiso loses its purple hue. When the liquid covers the plums, they're removed along with the shiso for sun-drying for 2 to 3 days. The soaking liquid is called 'Umeboshi vinegar' and is often used alongside pickled plums. Once dried, pickled plums can be stored separately or soaked in Umeboshi vinegar for continued use. The longer the fermentation, the tastier and more nutritious the plums become.
Typically, pickled plums are ready for consumption after just 1 year; however, for a richer flavor and increased nutritional value, the Japanese may pickle them for 3 to 5 years. Minabe, in central Wakayama prefecture, is renowned for Umeboshi production in Japan.
From a centuries-long historical narrative
Intimately intertwined with Japanese culinary life yet harboring a profound cultural tale, few know that Umeboshi holds ancient cultural significance. During the Heian period (794 – 1185), a king purportedly cured himself by drinking tea infused with Umeboshi and Kombu seaweed. Thus, Umeboshi was believed to have detoxifying properties, leading to its widespread adoption by royalty and nobility as a post-meal palate cleanser. Subsequently, Samurai also embraced pickled plums extensively. However, during this era, Umeboshi remained a luxury item inaccessible to commoners.
During the Sengoku period (1467-1603), Umeboshi was used on the battlefield as an antidote and food source. The sight of Samurai heading into battle with Umeboshi dangling from their belts became incredibly common. These warriors utilized Umeboshi to prevent poisoning and used the plum-soaked water to disinfect wounds due to its high salt content. Moving into the Edo period (1603 – 1868), pickled plums were widely embraced across all classes as agriculture flourished, making it easy for people to cultivate this plant. Every household could pickle plums for themselves, quickly turning pickled plums into a traditional staple in Japanese cuisine.
A Staple on the Modern Japanese Dining Table
From a dish fit for kings, through many historical eras, pickled plums gradually became common and a staple in the daily meals of the Japanese. Beyond being a familiar dish, pickled plums contain significant nutritional value. They are rich in essential minerals like potassium, manganese, vitamin A… Additionally, this dish serves as a folk remedy for detoxification and treating ailments related to the throat, colds, coughs, and stomach.
Throughout years of war, Umeboshi pickled plums were a vital food item for the Japanese, as they were simple, easy to store, and usable for extended periods. A bowl of white rice with Umeboshi alone, without vegetables, meat, or other foods, would suffice for a meal. Hence, the Japanese have a saying about Umeboshi: 'As long as there is a pickled plum on the rice bowl, humanity will endure.'
Today, as Japan has risen to become a global powerhouse, the people's quality of life has significantly improved, yet pickled plums eaten with white rice still persist as a beautiful aspect of culinary culture deeply ingrained in daily life. Umeboshi is also commonly enjoyed with Udon noodles. In the summer, Udon with Umeboshi aids digestion, while in winter, it helps fend off colds and soothes the throat.
Umeboshi pickled plums can also be cooked, consumed with hot green tea, or ground into powder to be used as a seasoning for various dishes. Umeboshi vinegar was used as a disinfectant until the mid-20th century; nowadays, it's used for stir-frying vegetables or drizzling over rice.
Though small in size, pickled plums harbor a plethora of flavors and nutritional components, embodying a multigenerational cultural narrative of the Japanese people. Umeboshi is no longer merely a dish; it has evolved into an iconic symbol, adding a distinctive hue to the culinary culture of the Land of the Rising Sun.
As reported by Afamily
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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourApril 25, 2019
