My annual Umeshu-making ritual begins with preparing it in the early summer, allowing it to steep for 10+ months, and then opening and bottling it. And the ritual doesn’t end there. The ume that absorbed all the alcohol are still very plump and have a great flavor and nutritional value. With Mottainai spirit (a Japanese term conveying the sense of “it can still be used/eaten”), indeed, there are many ways of using it.
One such way is dried ume, which can be eaten as a healthy snack. It imparts a subtle sweet and sour flavor when added to hot tea, and this is my favorite way of eating the dried ume.
It’s simple to making dried ume – simply place it in the oven and leave to dry out at a low temperature until all of water and alcohol have gone. As they dry in the oven, you will enjoy that your room will be filled with the fresh aroma of ume!
How to make dried ume
- Remove the seeds from the fruit part
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper to stop the ume from sticking, then place the ume on top.
- Dry the ume at a constant temperature of 80 degrees. The time needed for it to completely dry depends on the condition of the ume, although it usually takes 90-120 minutes. Check the ume every 20 minutes.