Hoshigaki

Hoshigaki is the Japanese art and tradition of making dried persimmon.

There are two major types of persimmons commonly available in the US: fuyu and hachiya. Fuyu persimmons are squat and round and can be eaten out of hand like an apple. They have a crisp, almost waxy texture, and a sweet flavor. For hoshigaki, you’ll want to use hachiya persimmons. These are longer and pointed. When unripe, they are firm, but as they ripen, the flesh becomes gelatinous. Unripe hachiyas are not edible. The flesh is intensely tannic and bitter. To make hoshigaki, though, you want them still unripe and quite firm. Disregard black marks on the skin of the fruit - this is caused by sunburn but does not affect the end product. Making hoshigaki requires time and patience, as the process involves air-drying and massaging the persimmons to promote the development of natural sugars on the surface.

Recipe

Ingredients:

• Hachiya persimmons (still firm)

Equipment:

• String or twine

• A well-ventilated, warm, dry area

• Vegetable peeler

Instructions:

Aim to select fruit that has at least an inch of stem attached. If the flesh of the fruit is at all soft, do not try to use them for hoshigaki; instead, leave them on the counter on their shoulders and allow to ripen. When soft, the flesh can be enjoyed like pudding, or used in baked goods.

1. Wash the persimmons thoroughly. Peel the Persimmons. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the persimmons, being careful not to bruise the flesh. Trim away the sepals at the top, getting as close to the stem as possible but leaving enough of a ring so that the weight of the persimmon can be supported as it dries.

2. Tying and hanging the Persimmons. Tie twine around the stems of the persimmons along one continuous piece of thick string, and hang them in a place with good airflow and dry, warm air, like in the kitchen or a warm living room. We like to hand them in front of a window. If possible, it's also good that the fruit get some exposure to sun. Make sure there is space between the fruit. Traditionally, the persimmons are hung on two ends of the same piece of string and draped over a 2-inch piece of bamboo, usually in open air in a sheltered location. Make sure to hang your strand before the rain starts, or they will likely mold!

3. Massage the Persimmons. For the first week, do not touch the persimmons. When the slippery surfaces have become tacky and begun to firm, gently massage the persimmons for a few seconds at least once every day. As the tannins in the fruit break down, the flesh will become soft and the fruit will become pliable, at first only near the surface, and eventually all the way to the core. The leathery surface will darken and turn brown. During this time, they will start to wrinkle, and the surface will become tacky. Be very careful when massaging the persimmons. When the flesh is at its softest, it may burst through the skin. If any persimmons develop mold on the exterior, discard them.

4. Keep Massaging Until the Sugar Blooms. After about four to six weeks, the fruit should wither down, and a powdery white bloom will form on the surface. This is the natural sugars forming on the outside of the fruit, and an indication the hoshigaki is ready. If the sugar does not bloom within six weeks, but the fruit is dark and firm, your environment may not be humid enough. Try pulling the fruit down and putting them in an airtight container like a large mason jar, or a zip-top bag. The sugar should bloom within two to three days.

Once the hoshigaki are fully dried, store them in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature for several months.

Enjoy your hoshigaki as a snack or slice them into salads and on cheese boards.