Data
Ume:
- sugar: ? 9% (from apricot)
- water: ?
- acidity: ? 1.7% (from apricot)
Traditional Recipe
- 1 kg green ume (not quite ripe)
- 1 kg rock sugar
- 1.8 l shochu (or “white liquor”)
Wash ume and pick off stem. Dry (water can cause mold even when steeping?). Optional: poke a few times to speed up steeping.
Layer ume and rock sugar in jar. Add shochu. Steep at least 3 months. 6+ months best. Shake every few weeks.
No filtering, just pour and serve, and eat the ume ^_^.
Note: sugar syrup not needed — shochu is ~60 proof, so more is used, and no need for extra water.
#1
2010/5 in progress “prick ume” version.
- 2/3 lb ume (~ 2 c)
- 1 1/3 c vodka 100°
- 1 1/3 c sugar syrup
Ume still crunchy after steeping 6 months 🙁
#2
2010/5 in progress “flash boil ume” version.
- 2/3 lb ume (~ 2 c)
- 1 1/3 c vodka 100°
- 1 1/3 c sugar syrup
flash boil ume for 15 sec, to soften them up a bit.