Daily Feature Glossary Terms

A Japanese condiment made from ume plums that are harvested before they are ripe, and then soaked in a brine with red shiso leaves to be pickled. The red shiso leaves, rich in minerals, add flavor and a pinkish-red coloring to the plums. Shiso leaves are often prepared as a condiment using a ground powder of the dried leaves to produce what is referred to as Mitoku. Inside the fruit, the meaty pulp of each plum covers a small hard pit.