Ume Onigiri, Umeboshi Filling

Umeboshi: A Traditional Onigiri Filling and Its Appeal

Umeboshi, a traditional Japanese food, has long been a beloved filling for onigiri. Its distinctive sourness and saltiness pair perfectly with rice, creating a simple yet profound flavor. In this article, we’ll explore the appeal of umeboshi and why it’s such a great match for onigiri.

What is Umeboshi?

Umeboshi is a preserved food made from pickled and dried ume fruit, with a history dating back over a thousand years. The strong sourness of umeboshi comes from citric acid in the ume, which is said to stimulate appetite and aid in fatigue recovery. Additionally, the high salt content gives umeboshi excellent preservative qualities, making it a staple as both a portable food and a long-lasting preserved item throughout Japanese history.

Why Umeboshi is Perfect for Onigiri

Umeboshi possesses strong antibacterial properties, which help prevent the rice in onigiri from spoiling. This makes it an ideal filling for bento boxes and picnics, where the onigiri might be stored for long periods. Moreover, the potent sour and salty taste of umeboshi enhances the simplicity of white rice, offering a flavor that never gets old. Especially during hot weather or when appetite is low, umeboshi’s ability to stimulate the palate is invaluable.

Health Benefits

Umeboshi contains organic acids that aid digestion, alleviate indigestion, and improve appetite. It’s also an alkaline food, which is believed to help neutralize the body’s acidity, contributing to overall health balance. Additionally, the citric acid in umeboshi boosts energy production efficiency, supporting quicker recovery from fatigue. This makes umeboshi an ideal snack after sports or outdoor activities.

However, umeboshi is generally high in salt, and an increased intake of salt is said to raise the risk of high blood pressure. For people with hypertension, it is recommended to limit salt intake, so caution is necessary when consuming umeboshi. With the growing focus on health, low-sodium umeboshi has become more widely available in recent years, allowing people to enjoy the flavor of umeboshi while reducing their salt intake

Variations of Umeboshi Onigiri

While umeboshi onigiri is a simple dish, it allows for numerous variations. For example, mixing chopped shiso (perilla) or sesame seeds with umeboshi enhances both flavor and nutritional value. Recently, new types of umeboshi have emerged, such as honey-pickled umeboshi or low-sodium varieties, each offering its unique taste.

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Types of Umeboshi and Their Characteristics

Umeboshi, a traditional Japanese preserved food, is a staple ingredient in onigiri. There are various types of umeboshi, each with its own unique flavor and characteristics. The term “umeboshi” generally refers to seasoned umeboshi, but in reality, it can be categorized into four main types:

1. Umeboshi
2. Picked Umeboshi
3. Umezuke
4. Seasoned Umezuke

1. Umeboshi (Dried Plum)

Umeboshi refers to the traditional method of pickling ume (plums) in salt and drying them in the sun. This type of umeboshi is often called “shiroboshi umeboshi” due to its plain, unsweetened nature. Umeboshi has a high salt content and a salty taste, making it a traditional preserved food. The simplicity of the ingredients—just ume and salt—allows the flavor of the ume itself to stand out.

Example: Shiroboshi Umeboshi (White Dried Plum)

Shiroboshi umeboshi is the simplest form of umeboshi, made by pickling ume in only salt. This traditional method results in a strong sour and salty flavor, with no additives or seasoning. It has a high salt content and excellent preservation qualities, making it a cherished traditional food. When used as an onigiri filling, its strong sourness and saltiness pair perfectly with rice.

2. Pickled Umeboshi (Picked Dried Plum)

Pickled umeboshi is made by marinating traditional umeboshi (shiroboshi umeboshi) in a seasoned liquid. Most commercial umeboshi fall into this category. These umeboshi are typically desalted before being flavored with honey, kombu (kelp), or katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). They often have a lower salt content, making them easier to eat with a milder flavor.

Example: Shiso Umeboshi (Perilla)

 Shiso umeboshi is pickled with red shiso leaves, adding flavor and color. The refreshing aroma of shiso and its vibrant red color make it visually appealing, while the flavor transfers to the rice, creating a bright and invigorating taste.

Example: Honey Umeboshi

Honey umeboshi is made by adding honey during the pickling process, bringing out a sweet flavor. The balance between saltiness and sourness makes this type of umeboshi particularly popular among children and those who find traditional umeboshi too sour. Its gentle sweetness pairs well with rice, making it a favored choice for onigiri.

Example: Katsuobushi Umeboshi (Bnito Flake)

Katsuobushi umeboshi is infused with bonito flakes during the pickling process, adding a rich umami flavor. The smoky, savory notes of bonito combined with the sourness of umeboshi create a deep, complex taste. When used in onigiri, it pairs exceptionally well with rice, offering a more flavorful experience.

3. Umezuke (Salted Un-dried Plum)

Umezuke refers to ume that have been pickled in salt but not dried in the sun, unlike traditional umeboshi. This type of ume is known for its salty taste, similar to umeboshi, but it lacks the sun-dried characteristic.

4. Pickeled Umezuke (Pickled Un-dried Plum)

Seasoned umezuke is umezuke marinated in seasoned liquid. Like umeboshi, it retains the salty and sour taste of ume but can be flavored in various ways depending on the seasoning used.

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Varieties of Ume Used for Umeboshi and Their Characteristics

Varieties of Ume Used for Umeboshi and Their Characteristics
Umeboshi, a traditional Japanese preserved food, can be categorized based on the variety of ume (Japanese plums) used to make it. The following are five famous types of ume commonly used for making umeboshi.

Nanko (南高)

Main Growing Area: Wakayama Prefecture, especially in Minabe Town and Tanabe City.

Nanko Ume is one of Japan’s most famous ume varieties, accounting for about 60% of the country’s ume harvest. This plum is known for its thin skin and soft, juicy flesh with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. When fully ripe, Nanko Ume has a sweet and refreshing flavor, similar to fruit. While it’s a popular choice for umeboshi, it is also used for umeshu (plum wine) and ume syrup. The harvesting season for fully ripe Nanko Ume is from mid-June to early July.

Kotsubu Nanko (小粒南高)

Main Growing Area: Wakayama Prefecture.

Kotsubu Nanko is a smaller variant of Nanko Ume. Due to its smaller size and smaller seed, it is easy to eat and is popular for making umeboshi. Despite its smaller size, Kotsubu Nanko shares the same high quality as Nanko Ume, with thin skin and soft flesh. It is commonly used for white umeboshi and pickled ume.

Oushuku (鴬宿)

Main Growing Areas: Tokushima, Nara, Oita Prefectures.

Oushuku Ume differs significantly from Nanko Ume in texture, offering a firmer bite compared to the soft texture of Nanko and Kotsubu Nanko. The strong aroma of this variety makes it ideal for umeshu and ume syrup. However, it is considered less suitable for umeboshi due to its tendency to produce a dark color when pickled. Oushuku Ume is also harvested earlier, typically from late May to early June.

Benisashi (紅映)

Main Growing Area: Fukui Prefecture.

Benisashi Ume is known for its vibrant red color when exposed to sunlight, which gives it its name. The fruit has thin skin, a small seed, and thick flesh, making it ideal not only for umeboshi but also for processing into ume syrup and ume juice. The harvesting season for Benisashi Ume is around early June.

Ryukyu Koume (竜峡小梅)

Main Growing Area: Nagano Prefecture.

Nagano Prefecture is one of Japan’s top five ume-producing regions, and Ryukyu Koume is a prized variety from this area. Selected during a study conducted from 1959 to 1961, Ryukyu Koume is characterized by its small seed and thick flesh. It is commonly used for making crunchy umeboshi (karikari ume) and is harvested from late May to early June.

Umeboshi Paste

Umeboshi paste is a versatile condiment made from pickled umeboshi, commonly used in Japanese cuisine. The paste is created by removing the pits from umeboshi, then mashing the flesh and skin into a smooth consistency. Typically, salt is added during the process, resulting in a paste with a strong sour and salty flavor. Umeboshi paste is used in various dishes, particularly as a filling or seasoning for onigiri.
When using umeboshi paste in onigiri, you can place the paste directly in the center of the rice ball as a filling, or mix it into the rice to create ume-flavored rice. Its strong flavor pairs well with the simplicity of rice, making it a popular choice for adding a tangy kick to traditional Japanese dishes.

Conclusion

Umeboshi is an essential ingredient in Japanese onigiri, prized for its preservative qualities, health benefits, and appetite-stimulating sourness. Despite its simplicity, umeboshi onigiri offers a profound taste experience and continues to be loved by many.