Kanrobai (Sugar-Cured Green Ume Wrapped in Red Shiso)
Quick answer
- Active time
- 360 min
- Waiting
- See the steps
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 20 servings
- Ingredients
- 4
About this dish
Wrapped piece by piece in red shiso leaves, green ume spend about a month in the fridge while the leaf's red moves into the fruit and the sweetness and sourness go all the way through.
Read more
The method comes from Ogose in Saitama: the pitted ume are cured in sugar first, and the shiso soaks a day in ume vinegar before wrapping. The ume are raw, and nothing is tasted until the cure is finished.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1
Select 1kg firm green ume without bruises or mold and remove the stems.
Soak in ample cold water for 5 hours, wash each fruit under running water, and spread on a clean cloth until completely dry.
- 2
Cut four deep lines around each ume, divide the flesh into quarters, and remove every pit.
In a heat-sanitized, fully dried lidded container, alternate layers of fruit and 600g sugar.
- 3
Cover and keep in a cool room away from direct light, turning the fruit with clean tongs every 12 hours.
As soon as syrup begins releasing, within 24 hours, move the container to a refrigerator at 4°C or below.
- 4
Gently wash 100g red shiso leaves and dry thoroughly.
Put them in a clean container with 300ml ume vinegar so every leaf is submerged, refrigerate for 24 hours, then squeeze firmly.
- 5
Wrap each sugar-cured ume piece in a shiso leaf and pack into a sanitized container.
Scatter the remaining 300g sugar between layers, pour in all released ume syrup to cover the fruit, and mature at 4°C or below for 1 month.
References checked
These references were consulted when this page was prepared or corrected. A source check does not mean the recipe was independently kitchen-tested.
- 일본 농림수산성 うちの郷土料理
JAいるま野武蔵野食文化推進者 · Checked: 2026-08-11
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