Ingredients for about 400 g of jam

Fresh ripe plums (完熟梅 / Kanjuku ume) 500 g
Granulated sugar (グラニュー糖 / Guranyūtōh) 70％ of the weight of plums

Note: For this recipe, you will need a bamboo skewer or toothpick, a scale, and a jar. The jar will need to be sterilized (by boiling and air drying) before use. You should also have a pair of heat-resistant gloves on hand.

How to Make

1. Rinse the ume (plums) in water and drain them well. Use a bamboo skewer or toothpick to remove the disk-shaped material in the depression where the stem was attached (In some cases, it may already be gone.)
2. Place the plums in a medium-size pot and add just enough water to cover the ume. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Skim off any foam that develops on the surface.
3. At this point, the ume will have taken on a very soft texture. Remove them from the pot and place them in cold water.
4. Place a bowl on a scale and zero out the scale. Transfer the fruit to the bowl. When you are done, note the weight of the ume. Place the ume in a pot. Calculate 70% of the weight of the ume and add that much sugar to the pot.
5. Place the pot on low heat. Continue heating and stirring for 30 minutes, occasionally skimming off any foam that develops on the surface.
6. After about 30 minutes, turn off the heat. The contents of the pot will have thickened slightly. They will thicken even more as they cool, so don’t worry if they may seem a little loose for jam. Remove the seeds from the ume. (These can be saved and added to simmered dishes.)
7. Fill a sterilized jar (one that has been allowed to air dry) about 90% full with the cooked plums. Cover the jar tightly and place it in a pot. Add water to about halfway up the jar. Boil the jar for about 20 minutes. Remove the jar from the pot and allow it to cool.

Recipe Developed by Machiko Tateno