Lucky enough to spot some fresh ume plums at your local grocery stores or farmers’ markets? Here are 6 delicious ume plum recipes that you and your family (including kids) would love!
Ume (梅) or Japanese plums come into season bright green and firm. When they are ripened, the skins aglow in yellowish peach blush. Often referred to as plum, ume are actually apricots, and they are most commonly used to make umeboshi (salted pickled plum) and plum wine (umeshu).
You can learn more about ume on this post, but before it’s too late, let’s take advantage of these precious spring treasures and make some delicious ume treats at home!
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Where to Buy Ume Plums
Around early to mid-May, Japanese and Korean grocery stores (like Nijiya, Marukai, Mitsuwa, H-Mart, or Woo-Ri Korean Market) start to carry ume plums. In California where I live, you can also find ume at some of the farmers’ markets. The fruits are only available for a very brief period, probably 2 weeks or so.
You can order green ume plums ($15 per pound) from Nicholas Family Farms. Please text or call Penny at 559-393-3009. If you live outside of California, make sure to ask for extra good packaging so the ume plums won’t be damaged.
If you know where to find fresh ume in your local areas, please share in the comments below!
6 Delicious Ume Plum Recipes
1. Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine)
Make this traditional Japanese liqueur at home by steeping fresh ume in shochu (or vodka) and sugar. The process takes only 3 ingredients and 15 minutes of active time. The rest of the work is to be patient and let the plum wine ferment for 6 months or up to 1 year before you enjoy it! Homemade umeshu is delightful and you can serve it chilled, at room temperature, or even hot in the winter.
2. Ume Plum Syrup
Fruity, tart, sweet, and aromatic, Ume Plum Syrup makes a truly special, one-of-a-kind drink in the summer. You can also use the syrup to make shaved ice, cider, or even salad dressing!
3. Ume Miso
Using seasonal ume plums, make this sweet and fragrant homemade Ume Miso! I save a few ume plums every year just to make this special blend of miso. It is so drool-worthy and requires minimal effort.
4. Ume Plum Compote
Don’t throw away any of the used ume plums after making Japanese plum wine or plum syrup! They are great for making compote. Similar to the cherry compote, you can use the sweet and tangy ume compote in so many fun ways! Add the chopped compote to your yogurt, braise your pork chop/ seafood with the compote, or use it to flavor your miso! The possibilities are endless.
5. Ume Plum Jam
The plum jam is sweet and tart and bursting with the season’s flavor. Spread it on your breakfast toast, mix in your yogurt, or use it for your savory cooking.
6. Umeboshi (Japanese Pickled Plums)
With fresh ume plums, you can make umeboshi, the classic pickle that is highly appreciated in Japanese cuisine. You’ll need just salt, ripen ume plums, red shiso leaves, and some kitchen tools. It takes a little prep work, but the reward is positively worth it!
Which ume recipe(s) do you plan to make this year? And what other ume recipes do you want me to share in the future? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
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Hi, thank u for the Recipe. Now I’ve had this wine before at an Asian restaurant, but there’s was a deep red color. How do I get it that deep red? thank u
Hi Dee, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post.
The Red deep color could be from Red Shiso, but we are unsure what was added to the drink without tasting it.
Here is the red Shiso juice recipe, just in case.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/red-shiso-juice/
We hope this helps!
Would like to see a pickled umeboshi recipe where plums are still crunchy
Hi Sonja! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
We currently don’t have the recipe on the site. We’ll make sure to add the recipe to Nami’s list. Thanks for your request!
can you please tell me how to substitute paste for plums? How much paste equals one plum? If I have a recipe calling for three plums how much ume paste would I use? Thank you!
Hi Liz! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
Each brand of plum paste has a different flavor and salt level, so it’s hard to tell the exact amount. Try one teaspoon as a substitute for one plum, and add more if you would like.
We hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing your ume recipes and tutorials. I’ve wanted to make umeboshi for years! The post inspired me to do it. I appreciate the referral to Nicholas Family Farms for sourcing ume. Just ordered 10 lbs of plums and can’t wait to make umeboshi and plum liqueur. I have a little apricot tree, and might even try pickling some apricots (umeboshi style) as well.
Hi Amy! 10 lbs of Ume Plum sounds fantastic!!! We hope you enjoy making Umeboshi and Umeshu!
Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and sending us kind feedback.🥰
My family recipe is fairly simple. Umeboshi, or pickled plums, remain a highly popular alkaline food, and you may have noticed that they are an ever-present feature of meals in Japan.
They were also one of the ninja’s most essential foods. They are made by washing ripened Japanese plums, pickling in salt for two to three days to remove the water, and then drying in the sun. At sunset they are put back in brine and the process repeated several times until there is no more brine left and the plums are dry.
Hi Chris! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and sharing your family recipe!🙂
We are very lucky to have a tree. We make umeboshi and umeshu. We eat the plums from the umeshu like a pickle.
Hi Julia! Aww. You are so lucky to have an Ume tree!🤩
We are glad to hear you enjoy many Ume recipes! Cheer🥂
Hi
The ume i got are ripe (yellow/peachy color) now, what can i do with it? and can i use it to make umeshu?
thank you.
Hi Jo, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
Yes, you can make umeshu too. Enjoy! 🥂
Sorry, I have a question on making Umeshu. this is my 1st time making it as per the recipe on your webpage. i underestimated the jar I got and my final product is seeing sochu very close to the brim. if i manage to find a bigger jar, will there be any issue in transferring the ume with sochu & sugar into another bigger bottle? i just want to check as I worry that it will disrupt the process of umeshu making here.
Hi Jo! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
You can leave it as is if the lid can be closed. The rock sugar will dissolve, and the volume will go down in the next few days.🙂
If you need to transfer to another jar, please use clean utensils to pick up/move Ume and sugar. It should be fine if you are moving them only once.
We hope this helps!
thank you!
Hi
I love your recipes and it makes me feel close to Japan even when we are not able to travel now
Hi Jo! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and for your kind feedback!😊
After see your ume Receipe, I’m interested in Umeboshi.
Hi Suchada! We are so happy to hear you are interested in Umeboshi now!
It’s a fun process making them, and it tastes great! We hope you enjoy it.😊
Nami mentioned a source that will mail fresh ume fruit anywhere in the United States. You can find them here, they’re still taking orders for 2021: http://bit.ly/2021OrderUme
Hi Emily, Thank you for your input!
Usually we pick these plums growing wild.
Hi Gail! Wow!🤩 You are so lucky!!!😃