Traditionally the ume are dried and then preserved in a salt brine with purple perilla (shiso) leaves that add a bright red color Details Umeboshi vinegar (also called ume plum vinegar) is the by-product of the umeboshi making process.

Umeboshi are those red, pucker-up delicious pickled fruits used in many Japanese dishes. These fruits, called ume in Japanese, are often referred to as plums but are technically more closely related to apricots.