Bainiku -Neriume, salted plum paste, aged for 3 years, Fukami, Japan

Due to its long aging process, this paste has a particularly high umami flavor. A few drops enhance tofu (hiyayakko), grilled fish, pork, or chicken. It also makes a delicious dip for raw or cooked vegetables, especially when combined with anchovies, spring onions, or chives, sesame seeds, and olive or sesame oil. Fukami is a fourth-generation family business that cultivates its own ume (Japanese plum), which is then processed into umeboshi (pickled plums) and umesu (plum vinegar). The company is located in Wakayama Province, world-renowned for its nanko ume fruit. The ume used to make this paste are grown without pesticides or artificial fertilizers. This puree has a particularly rich umami finish and an intense ume fruit aroma. It has a traditional salt content, so use it sparingly.