Korean Green Plum Pickles
Quick answer
Maesil jangajji is a traditional Korean green plum pickle made by salting unripe plums to draw out bitterness, layering them with sugar, and pouring in vinegar and rice w...
What makes this special
- Unripe June plums provide the essential tartness for this long-aged Maesil-jangajji preserve.
- Only unripe June plums produce the right tartness for this recipe
- Long curing concentrates the flesh as sharp sourness gradually meets the sugar
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Wash 1000 g green plums under running water, scrubbing the skins with a brush, then remove every stem.
- 2 Put some of the dried plums into a sterilized glass jar, then add part of the 700 g sugar.
- 3 Mix 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp rice wine, and 100 ml water until the salt begins to dissolve.
Maesil jangajji is a traditional Korean green plum pickle made by salting unripe plums to draw out bitterness, layering them with sugar, and pouring in vinegar and rice wine for months of aging. Over the long curing process, the plum's sharp acidity gradually harmonizes with the sugar's sweetness, and the flesh condenses as moisture evaporates, concentrating its floral aroma. Vinegar stabilizes the fermentation while rice wine smooths any harsh notes, resulting in a pickle that is tart, sweet, and cleanly fragrant. A couple of pieces placed beside a bowl of rice stimulate the appetite with their bright acidity, making this a Korean summer preserve with a long tradition. The best time to prepare it is early June when young green plums come to market, and stored in glass jars in a cool spot the pickle keeps well for over a year.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Wash 1000 g green plums under running water, scrubbing the skins with a brush, then remove every stem.
Spread them out until the surface is completely dry, because leftover moisture greatly increases the risk of mold.
- 2Finish
Put some of the dried plums into a sterilized glass jar, then add part of the 700 g sugar.
Repeat in layers so the sugar reaches between the plums, and finish with enough sugar to cover the fruit completely.
- 3Season
Mix 2 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp rice wine, and 100 ml water until the salt begins to dissolve.
Pour it slowly around the edge of the jar so the top sugar gets moistened without splashing.
- 4Season
Seal the jar and keep it in a cool, shaded place.
During the first several days, shake it gently once a day and check that the sugar at the bottom is loosening instead of hardening into a dry block.
- 5Season
Continue curing for 100 days, gently rolling the jar every 2 to 3 days.
The pickles are developing properly when the plums stay submerged, the sugar has dissolved, and the flesh looks slightly shriveled.
- 6Finish
After 100 days, lift out the plums and transfer them to a clean jar.
Seal the remaining plum syrup and refrigerate it, and serve one or two pickled plums beside rice as a tart side dish.
After the steps
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