Umeboshi

The Japanese pickled plums (actually a kind of apricot) called umeboshi are a special kind of pickle, preserved only with salt. Shiso leaves (perilla) are used for color and flavor. The fruits are picked in June while they are still green and tart, then salted and pressed for several weeks. The salty, sour brine that comes out of them is poured off and used to soak red shiso leaves. Meanwhile the fruits are dried out (traditionally in the sun) and then reimmersed in the brine, which is now tinted dark red by the shiso leaves. They soak up the flavor and color of the brine.