Making Umeboshi (Vol.2)

When you work with Ume (Ume shigoto), you can enjoy beautiful Ume aroma.
This is my big joy to share this beautiful aroma with somebody who are working with.
(Normally with my mum! I learn these things from mum by doing together)

Well, the second day of Making umeboshi.
Here is the post of the first step(the day before), Making Umeboshi (Vol.1)

Now, bring all the ume to the colander,　and drain off water.

Then wipe the Ume by towel.
Water become the cause of having mold, so very important to dry them very well. Properly!

When you wipe the Ume very well, you can see cute soft hair on the Ume’s surface. 🙂
Cute!

Now it is ready to pickle them.
Place the well wiped Ume into the container.
Not all of them, just one layer.

Then spray Shotsu for sterilising (optional).

Then sprinkle salt. Enough salt.

It looks like snowing on Ume!

It looks a lot of salt, but you don’t eat many umeboshi per day, so don’t worry.
Salt is very important to keep Umeboshi away from mold.

Repeat with second layer, third layer… until all of your Ume comes into the container.

Tighten up the plastic bag and put weight on it.

Now, need to wait a few days until water from Ume comes up to the surface.
All ume needs to be covered by water from ume　itself.
If the water(from Ume itself) doesn’t come up to the surface within few days,
you may have a chance to get mold. (at least in Japan, because it is rainy season!!)

So next few days will be the nervous but exciting moment.
To be continued!

Making Umeboshi (Vol.1)

Umeboshi!! Salty & sour dried plum, we used it in Japanese cooking and also take this as medicine.
When I lived with parents, they always told me, “Take one Umeboshi everyday”, and all of family had one in the morning.
Nowadays, I have one when I don’t feel good, or the day I have too much food,
apart from using in the cooking.

June is rainy season in Japan, and people make Umeboshi over this season.
It is a long process, depending on the weather, it needed to be dried for 3 days (day & night) so, we do this last process when the rainy season is finished.

First process is…
take this little thins out.

Ca you see?

Then soak all of them in the water. Over night.

To be continued.