Umeboshi - The Macrobiotic Antibiotic | The Food Party! | Laura Stec | Palo Alto Online |

Local Blogs

The Food Party!

By Laura Stec

E-mail Laura Stec

About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and en...  (More)

View all posts from Laura Stec

Umeboshi - The Macrobiotic Antibiotic

Uploaded: Jul 23, 2017

Continuing on with our tahini theme, today we combine this rich sesame paste with umeboshi. Described as the least sweet fruit, I consider ume a best-kept culinary secret. Tangy, salty, with a deep fruit essence, this pickled plum adds a unique flavoring agent to your cooking. Because it’s sold as a whole plum, a plum paste, and also as a vinegar, there are a lot of possibilities for use, including sauces, dressing and splash seasoning.

Called the macrobiotic antibiotic, umeboshi is also prized for healing possibilities. It has a very balancing, centering effect; great for settling upset stomachs and conquering general dis-ease. At Vega Macrobiotic School we’d mash one ume plum with splash soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon kudzu (similar to cornstarch, a dried root used as thickener) into a cup of hot bancha (twig) tea start the day with a powerhouse Morning Tea. My teacher Cornelia Aihara (Food Party! famous for describing pickled daikon “ like horse penis”) has also suggested taping ume plums to our foreheads, offsetting the queasy feeling we might get driving the winding Tahoe back roads to macrobiotic summer camp.



Today we highlight umeboshi in Exploration Salad, a recent Cooking at the Market demo at the Portola Valley Farmers Market (live cooking demonstrations happen monthly at the market). This quick tahini + ume salad dressing is guaranteed to make your guests say, “Wow – yum! What’s in that?”

Corneilia’s Tahini Umeboshi Plum Dressing
Makes about 1 cup

3 umeboshi plums, minced (remove pit and soak in 2/3’rds cup water below for 5 minutes to remove paste from pit)
¼ cup tahini
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
2/3 cup water
Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste

Whisk to combine. Drizzle on top of salad, cooked vegetables or grain.




Buy umeboshi in the ethnic foods aisle of your natural foods store.

Cooking at the Market inspires shoppers to try new foods, and learn new ways of preparing and enjoying seasonal, local products. With the help of market sponsors; businesses interested in supporting this tasty, educational
effort, we make a great meal and a great difference! Farmers’ markets and healthy eating is trendy and hot. Contact the market to learn how to support this community effort.




Local Journalism.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

There are no comments yet for this post

Follow this blogger.
Sign up to be notified of new posts by this blogger.

Email:

SUBMIT

Post a comment

Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed.

Stay informed.

Get the day's top headlines from Palo Alto Online sent to your inbox in the Express newsletter.

Holiday Fun in San Francisco- Take the Walking Tour for An Evening of Sparkle!
By Laura Stec | 8 comments | 3,290 views

Boichik Bagels is opening its newest – and largest – location in Santa Clara this week
By The Peninsula Foodist | 0 comments | 2,274 views

I Do I Don't: How to build a better marriage Ch. 1, page 1
By Chandrama Anderson | 0 comments | 1,384 views

 

Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund

For the last 30 years, the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund has given away almost $10 million to local nonprofits serving children and families. 100% of the funds go directly to local programs. It’s a great way to ensure your charitable donations are working at home.

DONATE TODAY