Umeboshi paste
A paste made of Japanese pickled plums - sour, salty and sweet
Umeboshi is a traditional Japanese preserved plum. "Ume" is the Japanese word for plum fruit and "boshi" means dry. It is a traditional and popular recipe that is made by pickling green and firm plums (Ao-ume) with salt and then letting it dry in the sun afterwards. The red color comes from the purple Shiso perilla leaves. Umeboshi has traditionally been used for medicinal purposes and was often taken on trips for emergencies.
Umeboshi can be eaten as is, but can also be used as a seasoning. The umeboshi paste can be used in combination with sugar, mirin and soy sauce to make "umeniku ae". To use in a salad, for example. In addition, umeboshi is used to flavor rice.
