Umeboshi

Umeboshi

What it is

Ume — an apricot cousin, not a plum — salted for months and blushed crimson with red shiso. Samurai carried them as field rations against fatigue, and a single one centred on white rice makes the hinomaru bentō: lunch as the Japanese flag.

In the kitchen

Use the flesh as a paste: a fingertip’s worth wakes a rice bowl, a dressing or steamed greens with salt and lightning at once.

Goes with

Rice Shiso Sesame Honey

Same species

Bergeron apricot Almond Almond flour Almond oil Amardine Amarena cherry in syrup

Also used with

Tororo kombu Koshihikari rice Red shiso Pike conger (hamo) Sencha

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