Prunus mume

prunus mume is an East Asian or Southeast Asian tree species that is classified under the Prunus section of the subgenus prunus. Its common names include Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. The plum bloom flower is a long-loved subject in traditional poetry and painting of East Asia and Vietnam. This distinct tree species is related to both the plum and apricot trees. Although generally referred to as a plum in English, it is more closely related to the apricot.
In East Asian cuisine (Chinese, Japanese and Korean) and Vietnamese cuisine, the fruit of the tree is used in juices, as a flavouring for alcohol, as a pickle and in sauces. It’s also used in traditional medicine.

The tree’s flowering in late winter and early spring is highly regarded as a seasonal symbol.

Prunus mume should not be confused with Prunus salicina, a related species also grown in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. Another tree, Prunus japonica, is also a separate species despite having a Latin name similar to Prunus mume’s common name.

Description

Prunus mume is a deciduous tree that starts to flower in mid-winter, typically around January until late February in East Asia. It can reach heights of 4-10m (13-33 feet) The flowers are 2-2.5 cm (0.79-0.98 in) in diameter and have a strong fragrant scent. They have colors in varying shades of white, pink, and red. The leaves appear shortly after the petals fall, are oval-shaped with a pointed tip, and are 4-8 cm long and 2.5-5 cm wide. The fruit ripens in early summer, around June and July in East Asia, and coincides with the East Asian rainy season, the meiyu (Mei Yu , “plum rain”). The drupe is 2-3 cm (0.79-1.18 in) in diameter with a groove running from the stalk to the tip. The skin turns yellow, sometimes with a red blush, as it ripens, and the flesh becomes yellow. The tree is cultivated for its fruit and flowers.

Uses

Culinary use

Beverage

In China and Taiwan, suanmeitang (Suan Mei Tang ; “sour plum juice”) is made from smoked plums, called wumei (Wu Mei ). The plum juice is extracted by boiling smoked plums in water and sweetened with sugar to make suanmeitang. It ranges from light pinkish-orange to purplish black in colour and often has a smoky and slightly salty taste. It is usually chilled in summer and flavoured with sweet Osmanthus flowers.

In Korea, both the flowers and the fruits are used to make tea. Maehwa-cha (maehwaca, Mei Hua Cha ; “plum blossom tea”) is made by infusing the flowers in hot water. Maesil-cha (maesilca, Mei Shi Cha ; “plum tea”) is made by mixing water with maesil-cheong (plum syrup) and is served either hot or cold. Similar drinks made from green plums are popular in Japan and are often enjoyed in summer.

Condiment

A thick, sweet Chinese sauce called meijiang (Mei Jiang ) or meizijiang (Mei Zi Jiang ), usually translated as “plum sauce”, is also made from the plums, along with other ingredients such as sugar, vinegar, salt, ginger, chili, and garlic. Similar to duck sauce, it is used as a condiment for various Chinese dishes, including poultry dishes and egg rolls.

In Korea, maesil-cheong (maesilceong, Mei Shi Qing , “plum syrup”), an anti-microbial syrup made by sugaring ripe plums, is used as a condiment and sugar substitute. You can make it by mixing plums with sugar and then letting them sit for around 100 days. To make syrup, the ratio of sugar to plum should be at least 1:1 to prevent fermentation, by which the liquid may turn into plum wine. The plums can be removed after 100 days, and the syrup can be consumed right away, or mature for a year or more.

Flower pancake

In Korea, hwajeon (hwajeon, Hua Jian ; “flower pancake”) can be made with plum blossoms. Called maehwa-jeon (maehwajeon, Mei Hua Jian ; “plum blossom pancake”), the pancake dish is usually sweet, with honey as an ingredient.

Liquor

Plum liquor, also known as plum wine, is popular in both Japan and Korea, and is also produced in China. Umeshu (Mei Jiu ; “plum wine”) is a Japanese alcoholic drink made by steeping green plums in shochu (clear liquor). It is sweet and smooth. A similar liquor in Korea, called maesil-ju (maesilju, Mei Shi Jiu ; “plum wine”), is marketed under various brand names, including Mae hwa soo, Matchsoon and Seoljungmae. Both the Japanese and Korean varieties of plum liquor are available with whole plum fruits contained in the bottle. In China, plum wine is called meijiu (Mei Jiu ).

In Taiwan, a popular 1950s innovation over the Japanese-style plum wine is the wumeijiu (Wu Mei Jiu ; “smoked plum liquor”), which is made by mixing two types of plum liquor, meijiu (Mei Jiu ) made of P. mume and lijiu (Li Jiu ) made of P. salicina, and oolong tea liquor.

In Vietnam, ripe plums are macerated in sticky rice liquor. The resulting liquor is called ruou mo. Son Tinh is a brand that sells plum liquor.

Pickled and preserved plums

In Chinese cuisine, plums pickled with vinegar and salt are called suanmeizi (Suan Mei Zi ; “sour plum fruits”), and have an intensely sour and salty flavour. These plums are usually made from unripe plum fruit. Huamei (Hua Mei ) are Chinese preserved plums and refers to Chinese plums pickled in sugar, salt, and herbs. There are two types: one is dried and the other is pickled.

Umeboshi (Mei Gan ) are pickled and dried plums. They are a Japanese specialty. They are pickled with coarse salt and should be eaten sparingly. They are often red in colour when purple shiso leaves are used. Plums used for making umeboshi are harvested in late May or early June, while they are ripe enough in yellow, and layered with much salt. They are then weighed with a heavy stone or another modern tool until late August. They are then dried in the sun on bamboo mats for several days (they are returned to the salt at night). They have a distinctive colour and richer flavor due to the flavonoid pigment found in shiso leaves. Umeboshi are generally eaten with rice as part of a bento (boxed lunch), although they may also be used in makizushi (rolled sushi). Umeboshi are also used as a popular filling for rice balls (onigiri) wrapped in laver. Makizushi made with plums may be made with either umeboshi or bainiku (umeboshi paste), often in conjunction with green shiso leaves. umeboshi Vinegar, a salty and sour condiment, is a byproduct of Umeboshi manufacturing.

Korea has a Massil-jangajji that is similar to Umeboshi. It is a popular side dish in Korea. Pick a slightly yellowish plum right before it matures during the rainy season. Wash it well with water and then lift it into a basket to collect the top. A bowl of dried plums should be placed on a platter. Sprinkle 2 percent salt over the plums and then press the top with the stone. Store in a cool, dry place. Take the tea leaves between mid-June and July and wash them. Next, add about 3 percent salt to the water. Mix the green water with the pickled plum. Finally, press the vinyl lid gently and store it in a cool area.

A very similar variety of pickled plum, xi muoi or o mai is used in Vietnamese cuisine. This is the best way to get the best fruit from Ha Tay Province’s Huong Pagoda.

Medicinal use

Prunus mume is a common fruit in Asia and used in traditional Chinese medicine. It has long been used as a traditional drug and healthy food in East Asian countries. A recent study has indicated that Prunus mume extract is a potential candidate for developing an oral antimicrobial agent to control or prevent dental diseases associated with several oral pathogenic bacteria. Recent studies have also shown that Prunus mume extract may inhibit Helicobacter pylori, associated with gastritis and gastric ulcers. Experiments on rats suggest that P. mume extract administered during endurance exercise training may enhance the oxidative capacity of exercising skeletal muscle, and may induce the muscle to prefer fatty acids for its fuel use rather than amino acids or carbohydrates, thus assisting endurance.