Homemade Korean Green Plum Extract
Korean green plum syrup or extract (maesil cheong) is a secret ingredient in Korean cooking. Made with green plums and sugar, as the fruit gets fermented, it extracts juices. This homemade syrup is a wonderful ingredient in plenty of Korean dishes and drinks. This recipe makes 2 cups.
Equipment
- hammer
- sterilized glass jar (2 pint size)
Ingredients
For green plum syrup
- 1 kg green plum
- 1 kg granulated sugar
For fermented green plum salad
- 1 cup fermented green plum, rinsed roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp Korean chili paste (gochujang)
- 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 2-3 tbsp red or green onion
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- To remove the pits of plums, wrap the hammer head with a paper towel and plastic wrap to avoid direct contact of the metal on the fruit. Just whack the fruit on top and the pit will separate out easily. Discard the seeds and collect the fruit.
- In a large airtight sterilized container, put a layer of 1/3 of fruit then followed by 1/3 of sugar, repeating 2 more times until the sugar covers the top. Close the lid and store in a dark place. Let it ferment for 3 months.
- The bright green color of the fruit will become golden brown. When ready, strain the plum and syrup in a fine strainer. Collect the syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator.
- You will need to store this syrup in the refrigerator always. You can literally enjoy this syrup as long as you keep it cold. The fermentation will continue slowly, and the flavor will become stronger.
- For the use of fermented fruit, make green plum salad. Rinse them with water once. Put 1 cup of fruit meat in a mixing bowl, add Korean chili paste, chili flakes, red onion, garlic, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Toss well to coat.