Plum tomato Plum tomato A plum tomato, also known as a processing tomato or paste tomato, is a type of tomato bred for sauce and packing purposes. They are generally oval or cylindrical in shape, with significantly fewer locules (seed compartments) than standard round tomatoes (usually only two) and a generally higher solid content, making them more suitable for processing. Plum tomatoes are also sometimes favored by cooks for use during the tomato off-season, as they are generally considered more amenable to handling and are therefore available in a state closer to ripe than other supermarket tomatoes. Varieties commonly available in markets
Plum grocers and specialty stores worldwide. They tend to be much drier than the standard prune. Cream, ginseng, spicy, and salty are among the common varieties. Licorice is generally used to intensify the flavor of these plums and is used to make salty plum drinks and toppings for shaved ice or "baobing". Pickled plums are another type of preserve available in Asia and international specialty stores. The Japanese variety, called "umeboshi", is often used for rice balls, called "onigiri" or "omusubi". The "ume", from which "umeboshi" are made, is more closely related, however, to the apricot than to the plum. In