Umeboshi Paste

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Umeboshi Paste

Ok, so I have to admit.  In gathering all of my ingredients for the popcorn with homemade furikake, I went a little bit wild in Sunrise Mart.  Food shopping almost trumps shoe shopping, and I totally glazed over that day throwing item after fascinating item into my basket.  In the end, I walked out with three different kinds of soy sauces, some matcha green tea powder I plan to use in shortbread, and a diluted yuzu seasoning base I already have used to make a killer fish marinade.  I also picked up some of this totally unexpected umeboshi paste…

Umeboshi are Japanese plums that have been pickled with red shiso and salt, and the paste is simply the purée.  The plums are traditionally eaten with rice or inside a rice ball, in sushi, layered between egg slices, with tea or even shochu.  The flavor is distinctive – tart and plum-my, a touch of sweetness, and extremely salty – and if it’s a wet version, the umeboshi “vinegar” (or left over pickling juice) is super strong and acidic, so use in moderation.

I have all sort of thoughts for how to use umeboshi paste!  Yes, in salad dressings and marinades – it’s the perfect acidic balance.  But also mixed in with yoghurt for a crudité dip, with garlic in an aioli, to round out a beautiful cocktail (killer margarita ingredient! No salt rim necessary…), in scrambled eggs, to add a kick to a potato gratin, or to jazz up a simple brothy soup.

You can find umeboshi and umeboshi paste at most Asian grocers, at certain Whole Foods and online retailers.

Yuzu Kosho

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Yuzu Kosho

I am on a citrus kick these days with it being in season.  I talked a little bit about lovely Southeast Asian kaffir limes last week.  This week it’s all about a Japanese citrus, yuzu.  Yuzu is one of those crossover fruits that has popped up on menus and cocktail lists all over (the juice is such a great add to drinks…).  It’s flavor is so distinctive – some notes of lime, grapefruit and mandarin, a Meyer lemon-like sweetness, acidity, and, at the same time, it has a signature, aromatic, floral muskiness that I personally find irresistible.

The rind of the yuzu is actually equally prized as the juice in Japanese cookery, and that brings me to this delicious condiment.  Yuzu kosho is a coarse paste made from ground yuzu rind, chilies, and salt.  It’s a specialty of a region in Southern Japan called Kyushu, and I’ve recently seen it pop up on non-Japanese restaurant menus around the city.  It made me think a bit deeper about how to use this stuff in non-traditional ways.

There are two types: red and green.  The red version is milder and sweeter, a combination of ripe yuzu and red chilies.  The green version has more of a bite as it’s made from the unripe fruit and green chilies.  Both are spicy, salty, sour and piquant.  It’s the perfect ingredient for vinaigrette and sauces.  It’s lovely in fish, chicken, and beef marinades – I like to add a sweet element like sugar or soy for the beef.  Perfect for grilling.  I also love that it gives such body to a brothy soup, and, lately, I’ve been dreaming about its kick in a creamy, sweet potato mash…