There is a wide variety of plums available, from those with a strong salty flavor that combines the distinctive sourness and saltiness of plums, to sweet ones pickled in honey, and even crunchy ones that can be enjoyed as a snack.
Among them, one drink that is popular among alcohol lovers is "Shochu mixed with pickled plums." In this article, we will take a closer look at Shochu mixed with pickled plums.
If you are interested in mixing shochu with pickled plums, please use this as a reference.
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What is Shochu with Pickled Ume?
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What kind of drink is shochu mixed with pickled plums ? The basics of shochu mixed with pickled plums are summarized below.
- What is Shochu with Pickled Ume?
- Why shochu mixed with pickled plums is so popular
What is Shochu with Pickled Ume?
Shochu with pickled plums is, as the name suggests, "Shochu with pickled plums added." Generally, when adding something to shochu, some kind of drink or fruit juice is added, but shochu with pickled plums is just a drink with pickled plums added.On the other hand, there is no problem with drinking the base shochu in a variety of ways, so it may be easier to think of "shochu with umeboshi" as simply adding umeboshi to the shochu itself .
Why shochu mixed with pickled plums is so popular
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The reasons why shochu mixed with pickled plums is so popular are thought to be its taste, cost-effectiveness, and the relationship between the plums and the shochu itself.
The appeal of shochu is its strong aroma and high alcohol content, but in some cases it can be difficult to drink or you may tire of it . By adding the sourness, subtle sweetness, and saltiness of umeboshi , the overall shochu becomes milder .
Next, cost performance. The shochu used for umeboshi can be a relatively inexpensive shochu of the first class , and the umeboshi themselves are a food that can be obtained inexpensively as long as they are not high-class.
You can easily make delicious alcohol by going to your local supermarket, so this great value for money is not to be missed.
Another reason why it is so popular is that shochu has been known to go well with umeboshi plums throughout history , as it was originally used to make them.
Both shochu and umeboshi are important to the Japanese, which is why they have been loved throughout the ages.
What is the effect of mixing shochu with pickled plums?
When you hear "shochu mixed with pickled plums," some people may imagine that it has health benefits compared to sweet alcoholic beverages that use a lot of artificial sweeteners or alcoholic beverages with high sugar content. In fact, we have summarized below whether shochu mixed with pickled plums has any health benefits .Shochu is a healthy drink
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Shochu is classified as a distilled alcoholic drink that does not contain sugar . For this reason, you may often see copy touting the health benefits of shochu, such as that it has zero calories.
In fact, because it contains a high amount of alcohol, it does contain a lot of calories, but these are called empty calories and are considered to be a different type of calorie than carbohydrates.
It is also said that drinking shochu in moderation can help relieve stress by dilating blood vessels, so if you drink it in balance, it can be considered a drink that can have health benefits.
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When you drink alcohol, you start to worry about calories. Many people who love alcohol so much that they go to drinking parties or have a drink every day feel like they've gained weight because they've drunk too much, and decide to go on a diet.
Combine with pickled plums for added health benefits
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On the other hand, umeboshi contain the amino acids citric acid and malic acid, which break down the lactic acid that builds up in muscles. These are thought to help relieve fatigue, so it makes sense to drink shochu mixed with umeboshi to relieve the fatigue of the day .
Umeboshi also contain oleanolic acid, which is related to controlling blood sugar levels, and epoxyliorenilesinol, which is related to regulating the intestines, and are therefore expected to have a variety of health benefits .
Given these benefits, the combination of shochu and umeboshi, known as "shochu with umeboshi," may be considered a way of drinking alcohol that has extremely positive health benefits.
However, umeboshi tend to be a food that is relatively high in salt, so be careful not to consume too many of them in a day, even though they are delicious.
How to make shochu with pickled plums
I'm at a nearby hot spring♨️
— Miyu (@miyu_miyu214) February 12, 2024
After taking a bath, I felt like eating chanja, so I tried mixing it with hot water and sweet potato shochu.
I don't usually drink shochu, but adding pickled plums makes it easy to drink, and I was surprised at how delicious Kurokirishima was 😆
Feel even warmer after a bath♨️ pic.twitter.com/TRuSvxaP26
As mentioned above, shochu with pickled plums is made by simply adding pickled plums to shochu. However, to enjoy a more delicious shochu with pickled plums , you should pay attention to the following points.
- Shochu and pickled plum combination
- How to make it
- Enjoy the arrangement
Shochu and pickled plum combination
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The key to making shochu and umeboshi plums is to choose the shochu you use to make it.
However, there is no need to think too hard about which shochu to use when mixing shochu with umeboshi plums, and the general consensus is that it will go well with any type of shochu .
The key is to combine shochu and different types of umeboshi in a well-balanced way. An example is shown below.
- Sweet potato shochu and slightly strong-flavored pickled plums
- Rice shochu and salty pickled plums
- Barley shochu and sour pickled plums
- Shochu x Anything is OK
However, one thing they all have in common is that they recommend umeboshi that are soft and naturally made so they can be crushed with chopsticks , rather than umeboshi that are too hard and don't allow the flavor to penetrate.
By combining it with umeboshi that have been made as naturally as possible, you can enjoy an even purer shochu and umeboshi drink.
How to make it
The general method for making shochu and pickled plums is outlined below.- Dilute shochu with water
- Add pickled plums
- Drink as is or crush and drink
When mixed with hot water, the plums slowly soften at that temperature, so it is recommended to drink it without crushing them.
Enjoy the arrangement
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Shochu mixed with pickled plums can be enjoyed in various ways . For example, if you add plums to a shochu highball (a drink made by mixing shochu with soda), you can make a "pickled plum sour."
You can also add lemon juice or ginger to it, and the possibilities for variation are endless .
Please feel free to try out various things.
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Shochu, such as potato shochu and rice shochu, is popular as an easy-to-drink alcoholic beverage for daily use. Shochu, which can also be used as an ingredient in chuhai, has the advantage that it can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways compared to other alcoholic beverages such as sake and wine.
Foods that go well with shochu and pickled plums
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Shochu mixed with pickled plums is a drink that goes well with Japanese food. The food pairings are endless, but the trick is to combine it with something that goes well with pickled plums .
For example, recommended dishes include cold tofu, cucumber, sesame rice balls, simmered eggplant, bonito miso, sweet sardines, and stir-fried pork.
In addition, you can make use of the sourness of shochu and plums to create dishes with a unique flavor, such as salted fish, beef jerky, and Japanese-style pizza. Surprisingly, salty nuts are also good.
Shochu mixed with pickled plums is a drink that pairs well with the Japanese food you usually eat . Please try incorporating it into your home dinner table.
Recommended plums for mixing shochu with pickled plums
The key ingredient in making shochu with pickled plums is the plum . However, many people are probably wondering what kind of plums they should use.From here on, we will introduce some recommended plums for mixing with shochu . Why not try finding your favorite plum?
Traditional sour pickled plums
These are old-fashioned pickled plums that are pickled only in salt. They are very salty and sour, so they are recommended for those who want to make a punchy shochu pickled plum drink.
These umeboshi are made with minimal pesticides and are made by hand , so you can use them with confidence.
Tonohata Co., Ltd. Seed-free bonito pickled plum 500g
The flavor of the bonito flakes enhances the taste of the plums, making these umeboshi an attractive snack . The flavor of the bonito, which has a salt content of 8%, is an excellent product that deepens the flavor of shochu.
Since the seeds are removed , there is no waste even if you crumble it as is, making it very functional.
Made with Kishu Nanko plums. White dried plums.
This is a masterpiece made by pickling Nanko-ume plums , a representative brand of Japanese plums, in salt alone. The salty umeboshi plums, which have a salt content of 20%, become mellow when added to shochu.
Adding it to hot water mixed with shochu will give you a pleasant taste and make you feel happy.
Honey Plum of Happiness
Honey-pickled plums are an attractive pairing with potato shochu. Made from the finest Nanko plums, pickled in pure domestic honey, this is a great product with an excellent balance of sweetness and saltiness .
It is not too sweet, so it does not interfere with the taste of the shochu, and it is an attractive addition that enhances the sweetness of each other .
Kanoya Nanko Plums, Natural Shiso Pickled Umeboshi
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