UMEBOSHI - Venerable Pickled Plums
Since the recent article I added from Mitoku on  Kuzu / Kudzu was found helpful by our readers, I have decided to add similar in depth articles on other ingredients commonly used in the practice of macrobiotics.
In some Japanese cities it is not unusual to see a small, seventeenth-century,
tile-roofed Buddhist temple nestled between tall, modern glass office buildings.
Even in the more traditional countryside, the contrast between old and new can
be stark. While one family sits at a contemporary Western-style dinner table
eating juicy steak, their more typical neighbors are seated on the floor eating
rice and miso soup with chopsticks.
![<a class=]() umeboshi plums Drying in the Sun"
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However, when it comes to Japanese pickled plums, or umeboshi (literally,
dried plum), everyone seems to agree that there is no modern substitute for its
zesty palate-cleansing flavor and fast-acting medicinal effects. Even today,
some traditional Japanese people begin the day with one or two pickled plums and
a mug of tea. British author and Japanese food authority Robbie Swinnerton
compares umeboshi's taste to the culinary equivalent of a cold shower.
Swinnerton writes, "The abrupt, searingly tart, tangy, salty taste jolts the
eyes open, shakes the stomach awake, sandpapers off any staleness from the taste
buds, and gets the day off to an unforgettable start."
MAKING TRADITIONAL UMEBOSHI
The center of Japan's pickled plum industry is in Wakayama Prefecture, on
Japan's main island of Honshu. Even before the first orchards were planted,
Wakayama's hillsides were abundant in wild plum (ume) trees. The area's mild
temperatures, year-round plentiful rain, and sheltered geographic situation
serve to bring forth the finest and most plentiful fruit in the country.
The center of Japan's pickled plum industry is in Wakayama
Prefecture, on Japan's main island of Honshu. Even before the first orchards
were planted, Wakayama's hillsides were abundant in wild plum (ume) trees.
The area's mild temperatures, year-round plentiful rain, and
sheltered geographic situation serve to bring forth the finest and most
plentiful fruit in the country.
In the heart of Japan's pickled-plum region is Ryujin village,
home of Yoshio Sogawa, maker of Mitoku Company's Ryujin pickled plums.
Both Yoshio and his wife, Eriko, suffered from serious illnesses
and cured themselves through eating a macrobiotic diet.Since that time, they
have devoted their lives to practicing organic agriculture. Several years ago,
the Sogawas began cultivating plum trees and now have an annual production of
fifteen to twenty tons of Japan's finest pickled plums.
Using their own variation of the traditional methods used in Ryujin for
centuries, the Sogawas make a mellow, tasty pickled plum that has less salt than
typical Japanese pickled plums. The process used by the Sogawas is technically
known as "lactic-acid fermentation," one of the oldest and safest ways of
preserving food. "The secret to making good pickled plums," says Sogawa, "is
getting lactic-acid-forming bacteria (the desirable type) to grow before other
competing bacteria have a chance to multiply." While lactic-acid bacteria are
salt-tolerant, many undesirable species are not. To help establish beneficial
bacteria, traditional makers use the proper amount of salt, and store the
fermenting plums in a cool, dark place. Lactic-acid bacteria multiply rapidly
under these conditions. Once flourishing, they produce enough lactic acid and
carbon dioxide to create an acidic environment that further inhibits the growth
of undesirable microorganisms and enzymes. The carbon dioxide also contributes
to a favorable anaerobic (low oxygen) condition and further stimulates the
growth of lactic-acid bacteria.
At Ryujin, plums are picked around the end of June, when they are still green
and their juice is at its peak of acidity. This guarantees the umeboshi to have
as tart a taste as possible. "If they are picked too early," says Sogawa, "they
are too hard, and their color never changes from green, but if left too long on
the branch, the resulting pickles will be soft, mushy, and tasteless."
By the last week in June, the activity at Sogawa's shop is intense and
non-stop from dawn to dusk. All the plums reach their full size at the same time
and must be picked within a week or two. Any delay means the plums will begin to
ripen, reducing their acidity, flavor, and medicinal qualities.
Next, the harvested plums are washed and then soaked overnight in water to
remove any bitterness. The following day, the soaked plums are placed in large
vats. A layer of jade green plums is topped with glistening white sea salt,
followed by another layer, then another until each vat is filled with 5,500
pounds of plums and 638 pounds of salt. This brings the salt content to about 12
percent. In earlier times, before the link between strokes and salt consumption
was clear, the salt content of pickled plums was over 25 percent!
The salt immediately begins to draw out the juice from the plums. A flat
pressing lid topped with a heavy weight is placed on the plums to keep them
submerged in the liquid. As the salt penetrates the flesh of the fruit, the
pickling process begins; the plums are left to ferment until the end of July
(the end of the rainy season). Taken from the vats, the pickled plums are placed
on wooden racks and left outside to dry for anywhere from four to seven days,
depending on the weather.
Although the pickling process is now complete, the wrinkled and shriveled
plums do not have the dramatic red color and aromatic flavor of Mitoku's prized
Ryujin organic pickled plums. To make these finest umeboshi, Sogawa must soak
the plums in plum vinegar along with leaves of the beautiful, scented red shiso
(perilla) plant.
An herb that is related to mint, shiso has a slight lemony taste yet a unique
flavor of its own. Its red, heart-shaped leaves are reminiscent of red meat,
hence comes one of its English names, "beefsteak plant." Besides adding color
and flavor to umeboshi, shiso has strong antibacterial and preservative
qualities both in the pickling process and on the person who eats them. It is
this that makes shiso such a perfect garnish in the sushi shop.
To add the essence of shiso leaves to his pickled plums, Sogawa mixes the
leaves with the liquid (brine) that is left from the pickling process. The shiso
leaves turn the liquid a brilliant red, and the umeboshi are left to steep in
this liquid for five days. When the plums are removed from the plum vinegar,
they are placed in vats and left to age for up to one year. The remaining red
liquid is bottled and distributed by Mitoku as Ryujin umeboshi vinegar.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Besides their dramatic flavor, Japanese pickled plums have remarkable
medicinal qualities. Their powerful acidity has a paradoxical alkalinizing
effect on the body, neutralizing fatigue, stimulating the digestion, and
promoting the elimination of toxins. This is the Far Eastern equivalent to both
aspirin and apple; not only is it a potent hangover remedy for mornings after;
more than that, an umeboshi a day is regarded as one of the best preventive
medicines available.
Like many of Japan's ancient medicinal foods, the origin of the pickled plum
is obscure. One theory traces it to China, where a dried smoked plum, or ubai,
was discovered in a tomb built over two thousand years ago. The ubai is one of
China's oldest medicines and is still used for a variety of medical purposes
such as counteracting nausea, reducing fevers, and controlling coughs.
The oldest Japanese record of pickled plums being used as a medicine is in a
medical text written about one thousand years ago. Umeboshi were used to prevent
fatigue, purify water, rid the body of toxins, and cure specific diseases such
as dysentery, typhoid, and food poisoning. Slowly, extensive folklore developed
about umeboshi's ability to prevent and cure certain diseases.
During Japan's furious samurai period, which lasted through most of the
Middle Ages, the pickled plum was the soldier's most important field ration. It
was used to flavor foods such as rice and vegetables, and its high acidity made
it an excellent water and food purifier, as well as an effective antidote for
battle fatigue.
Almost 200 years ago, the Japanese began experimenting with ways to
concentrate the healing powers of umeboshi. Finally, a dark liquid called
bainiku ekisu (plum extract) was developed. To make the extract, sour green ume
plums are slowly cooked down to obtain their most active ingredients in a highly
concentrated form. The resulting dark, sticky, thick liquid is usually mixed
with hot water and honey and is drunk as a tonic. Dried plum extract is also
formed into pills, called meitan. In both plum extract and meitan, the plums'
citric acid content is concentrated tenfold, which is equivalent to about
twenty-five times the content found in lemon juice.
Many natural healers around the world feel that these concentrated forms of
Japanese plums are among the world's most effective natural medicines. Moreover,
they do not have the high salt content of pickled plums. Although there are
several natural producers of pickled plums in Japan, few use the year-long
traditional process of Mitoku's supplier, the Sogawa family, and fewer still use
organically grown plums and high-quality sea salt. In fact, the umeboshi found
in many Oriental food stores are made in just a few weeks using red dye, organic
acids, and commercial salt. To be sure that you are buying the finest-quality
pickled plums, check the ingredients on the label. Sogawa-style pickled plums
are made with organic plums, organic shiso leaves, and sea salt.
In less than a decade, the worldwide demand for Ryujin pickled plums, paste,
and vinegar has outgrown their tiny orchard. Recently, the Sogawas have been
teaching the traditional method and organic agriculture to neighboring plum
farmers. Their commitment to the labor-intense, ancient plum-pickling process
and natural agriculture is keeping this way of life alive in the mountains
surrounding Ryujin village.
COOKING WITH UMEBOSHI, umeboshi paste, AND PLUM VINEGAR
Umeboshi and umeboshi paste are lively and versatile seasonings that add a
pleasant tartness to salad dressings, cooked vegetables, and sauces. Umeboshi is
also commonly served in Japan as a condiment with rice, or tucked inside a rice
ball wrapped with nori. In the summer, thick cucumber rounds spread thinly with
umeboshi paste are a cooling treat. Sparingly spread on cooked sweet corn, it is
a delicious, healthful alternative to butter and salt. Umeboshi also goes well
with members of the cabbage family, including broccoli, kale, and cauliflower.
When using whole pickled plums, it is usually necessary to remove the pit and
mince the flesh before adding it to recipes. Umeboshi paste, another product
offered under the Mitoku brand, can be substituted for umeboshi in virtually any
recipe.
The shiso leaves that are often packaged with umeboshi are also delicious
when chopped and used as a seasoning inside nori rolls or when tossed in with
steamed or sautéed vegetables.
Plum vinegar, also known as Umeboshi vinegar or ume-su, contains many of the
healing qualities and nutrients associated with pickled plums, and it is easy
and convenient to use. Both pleasantly tart and salty, umeboshi vinegar is a
versatile seasoning that is especially refreshing on hot afternoons. Use
umeboshi vinegar to liven up salad dressings, homemade quick pickles, and tofu
spreads. It adds a pleasantly pungent flavor to cooked leafy greens (especially
cabbage), cauliflower, broccoli, and green beans. Steam, boil, or sauté
vegetables until tender but still colorful. Drain if necessary, place in a
serving bowl, and toss with umeboshi vinegar to taste. When substituting
umeboshi vinegar for other types of vinegar, substantially reduce the amount
used, or eliminate the salt in the recipe. The following recipes will help you
become familiar with umeboshi and umeboshi vinegar and will soon have you
discovering new ways to use these delicious and healthful seasonings.
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