Pickled Plum Pasta – Wafuu Umeboshi Spaghetti

As much as I love a good bowl of rice, there is something about pasta that just can’t be beat. Growing up on spaghetti and meatballs, pasta is a huge comfort food for me. While at first Japanese style pasta might seem like a far cry from the spaghetti of my past, it’s a close second when I need that pasta fix!

Wafuu (or wafu) means ‘Japanese style’ in Japanese, and as you’d expect, wafuu spaghetti is a little different than the Italian classic. Fusion cuisine brings the best of both worlds together, so as unusual as it may sound, the combination of Japanese and Italian flavors is surprisingly delicious! This wafuu style spaghetti features umeboshi, a very sour, salty pickled plum that can be an acquired taste. But while umeboshi itself is quite intensely flavored, using just a small amount gives the dish a subtle, salty flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the taste.

The best thing about wafuu spaghetti is that it is surprisingly simple to prepare. Most recipes require very little prepping and cooking, so it’s great for a busy weeknight. Especially if you have a stock of furikake seasoning in your pantry, (which i recommend if you’re serious about cooking Japanese!) all you need to do is cook the pasta, sprinkle some on and viola, you’re done! If you’re not a fan of pickled plum, you can even leave it out and just season with furikake for an even simpler recipe. It’s easy to enjoy delicious Japanese style pasta in about 20 minutes!

Recipe – Pickled Plum Pasta: 

– Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions.

– While the spaghetti is boiling, finely chop the garlic and cut the onion and mushroom into thin strips.

– Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the garlic, onion and mushroom and saute until golden brown. Turn off heat and set aside.

– Prepare the umeboshi by removing the pit from the center, then finely chop the pulp.

– Once the spaghetti has cooked, drain then return to the pan. Add the sauteed garlic, onions and mushrooms, as well as the umeboshi and yukari shiso salt. Stir until combined.

– Transfer to two plates, then top with shredded nori strips or your favorite furikake seasoning!