Koshu Ko-Umezuke ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

1. Wash the plums and soak them in plenty of water overnight to remove the bitterness, then wipe off the moisture and remove the calyx.

2. Put the plums and salt in a container, and rub the salt into the plums until they have a more greenish tint.

3. Wash the egg shells well, dry them, put them in a gauze bag, crush them roughly, and put them in the bottom of the container.

4. Place a drop lid on top of the plums, put the same amount of weight as the plums on top, and leave in a cool dark place until the white plum vinegar rises.

5. Remove the leaves from the red perilla, wash them, sprinkle them with a suitable amount of salt and rub it in to remove the bitterness, discard the juice, and add the leaves to the container from Step 4. Add vinegar and shochu, mix, cover the surface with plastic wrap, close it with a lid and store in the refrigerator.
If you leave it for a month, the flavors will blend and it’s ready to eat.