Ume syrup – Japanese plum syrup 

Ingredients

• 1 kg green plums (unripe)
• 1 kg rock sugar (crystallized white sugar)

Cooking Instructions

1. To sanitize a glass jar, pour boiling water in the jar, drain well and air dry.
2. Wash plums gently, remove hulls with a bamboo stick, and dry well with paper towels one by one. Please make sure the plums are dried well otherwise the moisture of plums will cause growing mold in the jar.
3. I recommend using rock sugar for making plum wine. It takes time to dissolve and that means it helps to extract the flavors from the plums at a slower pace.
4. Layer the plums and the sugar alternately in the jar
5. Put the lid on the jar and store in a cool, dark place. You can start using this syrup after it’s been resting for at least 2 weeks.
6. Give it a gently shake the jar everyday to mix sugar. That helps the extract comes out from the plum. Better to write the date you started on the jar so that you can remember when the plum gets ready to be used!