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Home Condiments and Sauces

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cropped-maesil-chung-green-plum-syrup_c-1.jpg

Green Plum Extract (Maesil Cheong)

Green Plum Extract (Maesil Cheong) is a syrup made from ume green plums in sugar, fermented for 100 days.

Korean Name: 매실청

Romanization: Maesil Cheong

Also Known As: Green Plum Extract, Green Plum Syrup, Maesil Aek

Flavor Profile/Texture:

sweet tangy fruity syrupy

Substitutes:

water + vinegar + sugar

Goes well with:

marinades, salad dressing, tea drinks

What is Green Plum Extract (Maesil Cheong) ?

Korean Green Plum Syrup (Maesil Chung 매실청)
Korean Green Plum Syrup (Maesil Chung 매실청)

Green Plum Extract (Maesil Cheong 매실청) or somtimes called Maesil Aek 매실액,  it is a syrup made from unripe green plums (aka ume plums) fermented for 100 days with sugar. The syrup is used to add sweet and a very light sour taste to dishes. It is also made into hot or cold drink when mixed with hot or iced water.

Check out my Green Plum Syrup recipe post on how to make this syrup.

Not To Be Confused With

Plum Syrup or other Korean syrups such as below -

different kinds of syrup for Korean cooking - rice syrup and corn syrup
Korean syrups for cooking (100 Rice Syrup, Corn Syrup and Rice Oligo Syrup)

Where and What To Buy

Korean Grocery Stores, Amazon

How to Use/Cook

Korean Green Plum Extract or Maesil Cheong syrup is used to add mild sweetness, a hint of sourness and a fruity aroma to marinades, fish jorims, sauces, salad dressings. You can use it in any dishes that has a sweetness. But because it has a our flavor, do not add too much to dishes that require a lot of sweet flavor.

Substitute 4 tsp Korean green plum extract with 1 Tbs water + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar + 1/2 tsp sugar.

Use 1 to 1.

 

How to Clean/Store

Can be stored at room temperature for over a year. Can also be stored in the fridge in very warm climates.

How To Grow

You can grow Green Plum trees and harvest the plums in spring before they ripe. There are green plum farms in California as well as the east coast of US. When they become ripe, they become yellowish-orange and they are called Hwang Maesil 황매실. They have the texture of an apricot.

Japanese Green Apricot Plums or Maesil
Japanese Green Apricot Plums or Maesil
Japanese Green Plum or Maesil Tree
Japanese Green Plum or Maesil Tree

Nutrition/Health Info

Maesil Cheong (green plum extract) is known to also aid digestion. A hot cup of water with a couple Tbs of this syrup added is a great end of a meal drink.

Click here to read more about Maesil Cheong (Green Plum Extract)

Recipes that use it:

oven baked korean spicy pork on green lettuce lined plate

Simple Oven Baked Korean Spicy Pork

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Easy Putbaechu (Seoul Green Cabbage) Kimchi for Summer!

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Easy Baked Salmon with Mayo + Masago

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Steamed Perilla Leaves (Kkaennip Jjim)

Kimchi Salad (Geotjeori) with Spring Cabbage (Bomdong)

Fresh Kimchi Salad with Spring Cabbage (Bomdong Geotjeori)

Cold Buckwheat Noodle Salad (막국수 Makguksu)

Buckwheat Noodles Salad (Korean Makguksu)

JJ's style Korean rib eye steak salad with ssam elements

Korean Rib Eye Steak Salad with Soy Plum Dressing

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Ssamjang (쌈장) – Korean Spicy Dipping Sauce

Korean Ingredient Glossary!

Learn about over 100 popular Korean ingredients in our new ingredient glossary!

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