Hoshigaki (Dried Persimmons)

Hoshigaki is the Japanese word for dried persimmons. This recipe shows the traditional way of air-drying them. The photo shows the hoshigaki in their first week. I hope to update the photo to show the end result.

Ingredients

  • ripe persimmons, preferably with stems

  • kitchen twine

  • small screws

  • sunlit area to hang persimmons

Directions

  • Remove the skin from the persimmons, leaving the stem and leaves on top.

  • If there is no stem, insert a screw at the top of the persimmon.

  • Tie the stem or screw to the kitchen twine. Some people like to tie several persimmons to one long piece of twine; others like to tie one or two persimmons to a shorter string. This will largely depend on the space available to hang.

  • Hang the tied persimmons in a place that gets lots of sunlight.

  • Once a week, squeeze the persimmons to concentrate the sugars inside the fruit.

  • After 3-4 weeks, the hoshigaki should be dried and ready to eat.