Mr. JOC and I started watching season 2 of the popular Netflix® show – Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories so that we can re-create the recipes from the series. In Episode 3, an old man named Umejii went into the diner and requested for pickled plums. When the master handed him a plate, he ate 10 of these plums straight up! My mouth immediately watered and my face scrunched up, literally like a sour plum. Then I glanced over at Mr. JOC sitting next to me. His face plain and he didn’t seem to show any sort of reactions. This simple scene was able to ignite such a strong response in me, but not my husband who obviously didn’t grow up eating ume plum. Isn’t it interesting how our mind reacts to the food memory we have? Today I’m sharing the Plum Rice Ball (小梅のおにぎり) recipe that Umejii enjoyed eating in the episode. It would be fun if I could see your face scrunch reading about pickled plum in this post.
What is Plum Rice Ball?
In case you haven’t seen the show, the Plum Rice Ball is a triangle-shaped rice ball made of steamed white rice, chopped pickled plums, and sesame seeds, and cloaked in a sheet of dried nori seaweed.
Japanese Pickled Plum – Umeboshi
Umeboshi (梅干し) is a savory Japanese pickled ume plum and it’s eaten as a condiment or accompaniment for a bowl of rice, similar to tsukemono pickles or furikake rice seasoning. Ume plums are salted, flavored with red shiso leaves, and then dried under the sun to make umeboshi. The ultimate companion for a bowl of plain steamed rice. In general, there are two types of umeboshi made with different ume plums. The regular, bigger wrinkly pickled plum is called Umeboshi, and the smaller and plump umeboshi is called Ko Ume (小梅). The pickled plums used in the Midnight Diner episode are Ko Ume. They are firm, tangy, salty, and come in a bright red color. You can often find these small red ume pickle in the middle of white steamed rice in a bento box. We call it “Hinomru Bento” (日の丸弁当), which represents Hinomaru (meaning “circle of the sun” representing a Japanese flag 🇯🇵).
Where to Find Ko Ume
I remember I used to see packages of small umeboshi at Japanese grocery stores, but when I decided to make the rice balls and looked for one, I couldn’t find it. I went to different Japanese grocery stores and they seem to disappear from the shelves. That’s strange, I thought. It shouldn’t be that popular that all the stores are sold out. So I asked one of the staff when they would restock these pickles. And the lady said they can’t be imported any more due to the artificial red coloring used for the plums. It’s really unfortunate to see ingredient(s) that is not quite necessary being added to the foods that we feed our bodies. In the end, I had asked my mother in Japan to send me a package of Ko Ume so I could make the recipe as close as what you see in the show. For your own enjoyment, please use the regular umeboshi that is healthier. The red color of the plums should come from only natural red shiso leaves, not additional artificial coloring. You will still yield the same flavors and faintly pinkish rice balls. The only difference would be the texture as regular umeboshi does not have the crisp crunch that Ko Ume is known for.
- I found out Nihon Ichiban sells these small crunchy Kari Kari Ume and Low Sodium Kari Kari Ume online. They ship internationally.
Tips on Making A Rice Ball
How to Serve Plum Rice Ball
In the “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories”, the old man Umejii enjoyed the plum rice balls on its own. However, you can pack them in your bento lunch box or serve them as an after-school or midnight snack. They are fabulous with a cup of green tea!
Other Popular Rice Balls (Onigiri) You’ll love:
Cherry Blossom Rice Balls Tenmusu (Shrimp Tempura Rice Ball) Miso Yaki Onigiri Bulgogi Onigirazu Spam Onigirazu
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
