Salt-Preserved Sakura Blossoms
- 100 grams Sakura cherry blossoms
- 40 grams Coarse salt
- 3 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 Coarse salt for final touches
- Choose double flowered cherry blossoms that have bloomed about 70%.
- Use flowers that haven't bloomed completely yet.
- Pick them off the trees from the base of the stems.
- Wash the flowers.
- Separate the clumps of flowers apart so that each portion has about 2 blossoms connected by their stems, like cherries.
- Coat with salt gently on the palms of your hands, so as not to damage the blossoms.
- Mist the flowers with water, wrap with cling film, and place on a weight about 2 times the total mass of the flowers.
- Wait at least 2 days.
- This will help draw any excess moisture and harshness from the flowers.
- You're on the right track if your flowers start releasing moisture.
- Take out the flowers and gently wipe dry with paper towels, etc.
- (don't wring them out, just press them dry between sheets of paper towels).
- Return the blossoms from Step 5 into the container, add the rice vinegar, place a weight on top and leave the flavors to settle in for at least 2 days.
- After a while, the flowers will turn a bright pink.
- Once enough of the color has been extracted, remove the flowers, and pat dry with paper towels... Give one a try.
- They're so tasty.
- Coat with salt.
- Pack in tupperware or storage containers.
- This is the vinegar that became infused with the sakura during Step 6.
- It's so vibrantly colored and beautiful.
- I couldn't let it go to waste, so I used it in the sakura sushi above.
- It's great to enjoy as a tea.
- "Salted Sakura Ice Cream"
- It's great used in preserves...
- Or try it in jello desserts!
- "Fluffy Sweet Bread Rolls"
- "Cheese & Bacon Pao de Queijo"
- "Simply Microwave Steamed Bread for Steamed Dorayaki"
blossoms, salt, vinegar, salt
Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/148149-salt-preserved-sakura-blossoms (may not work)