Tofu Umezu-zuke (Plum Vinegar Pickled Tofu)
Quick answer
- Active time
- 35 min
- Waiting
- See the steps
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 2
About this dish
Golden grilled slices of momen tofu soak for about a week in umezu, the salty, sour liquid that rises when plums are cured.
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The result pairs bright acidity and strong salt with a dense, almost creamy interior. This Kochi side dish is eaten in thin slices with drinks. For home use, the recipe calls for bottled food-grade umezu and tofu heated through before it goes into the refrigerator to cure.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Cut 400g tofu into four 2cm-thick slabs.
Layer absorbent paper, clean cloth, tofu, cloth, and paper on a tray. Add a board and 1kg weight and press under refrigeration for 90 minutes.
- 2
Replace wet paper and cloth and dry both sides.
Heat a grill or unoiled pan over medium and cook about 4 minutes per side, turning as needed, until golden and at least 74C in the center.
- 3
Cool grilled tofu on a clean rack to 21C or below within 20 minutes.
Arrange without overlap in a glass container sanitized with boiling water and cooled completely.
- 4
Pour in 1L bottled umezu labeled for food use, fully submerge tofu, and add a sanitized weight.
Refrigerate immediately at 4C or below for 7 days, gently rocking the container once daily.
- 5
On day 7, remove tofu with clean tongs and slice 3mm thick.
If there is gas, slime, off odor, or mold beyond the expected sour plum aroma, do not taste and discard all. Keep normal pickle refrigerated and consume within 10 days.
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
「おいしい風土こうち 食べることは学ぶこと」（高知県） · Checked: 2026-08-11