Preserved Sakura Cherry Blossoms - 桜の塩漬け

Step 1

Pick unsprayed cherry blossoms from an ornamental cherry tree. The best flowers to use are the ones that are just starting to open, so try to time your picking with the early blossoming stages.

Step 2

Very gently wash the flowers by soaking them in clean water and stirring lightly with your hands. Lay the flowers out to dry, or give them a quick and gentle spin with a salad spinner.

Step 3

Gently sprinkle layers of flowers with sea salt in a small jar. Refrigerate for 3 days.

Step 4

Cover the flowers with vinegar and refrigerate for an additional 3 days.

Step 5

If pickling, simply leave the flowers in the vinegar and transfer both to the refrigerator. They will keep for 6 months or more, but the flowers will become less vibrant over time.

Step 6

If drying, drain and reserve vinegar. Spread the flowers out to dry. They can be air-dried, or dried in a very low oven or dehydrator (see variations below, and the note section at the bottom regarding the final dryness of the flowers).

Step 7

Spread the blossoms out on a small tray or board covered with a soft tea towel or cloth. Place the flowers in a warm, dry area, but out of direct sunlight. Check on the flowers once a day or so (actual drying time will depend on warmth and humidity, but three days is average).

Step 8

Spread the flowers out on a large cookie sheet covered with a silicon sheet or parchment paper.

Step 9

Place the flowers in the oven and turn on the bread proof setting. This setting will use only the heat of the oven light and the fan to create an even, moderately warm environment. Check on the flowers at the end of the day, and, if necessary, leave overnight or repeat the warming steps daily until the flowers are dried out.

Step 10

NOTE: while this option is the fastest, it's also the riskiest. Only attempt this If your oven can be set to a very low temperature. Make sure you keep an extremely close eye on the blossoms as they dry.

Step 11

Spread the flowers out on a large cookie sheet covered with a silicon sheet or parchment paper.

Step 12

Place the tray into the low-temperature oven and 'bake' for about 5 minutes. Once the obvious surface moisture has evaporated, proceed to the next step.

Step 13

Turn the oven off, but leave the blossoms in the oven on the pan. Check for dryness, and repeat the heating/cooling process again as needed.

Step 14

Spread the blossoms out on a dehydrator tray. Cover with a thin towel or another dehydrator tray (the aim is to keep the light flowers from blowing away - take care not to crush them). Dry at low temperature (about 35°C/95°F) for 6-8 hours, or until the flowers are finished.

Step 15

If you choose to dry your cherry blossoms to a point where they still have a moderate amount of moisture, you can gently toss them in an additional 5 g (1 tsp) of sea salt. This will obviously make them taste saltier, though this is beneficial for many savoury recipes that call for preserved sakura. Blossoms that are completely dehydrated will keep very well without any additional salting.

Step 16

Dried blossoms (either fully dried or partially dried and with added salt) can be stored at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. They will keep for a year. Sakura vinegar will keep in the fridge for 6 months or more, as will pickled blossoms.