How to Use Yuzu
Yuzu fruit may sound exotic, but you may have already tried it in the form of Ponzu sauce at a sushi restaurant, or spicy Yuzu Kosho sauce. This unique citrus is usually about the size of a mandarin orange and has a thick, lumpy skin, although there are larger varieties. Yuzu juice and products made with the rind have become much more common, thanks to the popularity of Japanese and Korean foods.
What is Yuzu?
Yuzu juice is deeply flavorful, with components of grapefruit, hints of lime and mandarin, and lemon, with a floral quality. The thick rind is rich in fragrant oils, and is often used for its unique flavor and health benefits, and as a scent in bodycare and other products.Yuzu is also a popular fragrance in perfumes and even cleaning products.
Yuzu is a variety of lemon that originated in Central China and Tibet, and moved to Japan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and now Japan grows the most Yuzu in the world. It’s thought to be a hybrid of a Satsuma Mandarin and Ichang Papaeda, a wild citrus. The fruit is too tart to eat out of hand, and can have many seeds. Where it shines is as an ingredient.
Is Yuzu Fruit Legal?
You won’t see fresh Yuzu fruit very often in the US, because USDA does not allow imports of the fresh fruit. A small number of growers in warm areas in the US, like Southern California, grow Yuzu, but the crop is small.
How is Yuzu Used?
Yuzu has made its way into sauces, dressings, drinks, desserts and candy. Japanese Ponzu, a combination of soy sauce and yuzu, is great with sushi, and can be used to flavor other foods, like marinades and dressings. Traditional Ponzu is made by simmering soy sauce, Yuzu, mirin, kombu seaweed and Bonito flakes
What is Yuzu Kosho?
Yuzu Kosho is a paste, made simply of pounded yuzu zest and chilies. It comes in green or red, and the green is hotter. The blend can also be purchased as a powder. A spoonful of Yuzu Kosho is a delicious way to add both heat and an enigmatic citrus flavor to everything from a soup or stew to a marinade, or even a simple pasta dish. Try it instead of Sriracha in this low-carb Spicy Tuna Sushi recipe.
Yuzu Juice Delivers a Pop Of Citrus
Yuzu juice is available bottled, and can be used in place of lemon or lime juice in your favorite recipes. Yuzu’s complexity adds a bold tart flavor and hints of different kinds of citrus, with a flowery scent. Try it in a delicious bowl of Tuna Poke, or in Miso Honey Salmon with Asparagus-Kohlrabi Salad. Substitute Yuzu juice for rice vinegar in this Soba Noodles Recipe.
You can also experiment with using Yuzu in place of all or part of the orange juice in this recipe, and increasing the brown sugar a bit to balance the tartness. Orange-Ginger Salmon
Yuzu Zest Delivers The Flavor
Yuzu rind is often made into a fragrant marmalade, or infused into honey or other syrups. Yuzu Honey, with chunks of Yuzu rind and juice mixed in, is sold as a remedy for colds, to be stirred into tea, but it’s so delicious you might want to add it even when you are well.
Don’t Forget Yuzu Drinks and Cocktails
Cocktail culture has embraced Yuzu as an ingredient, using it as a sour element in drinks. Japanese and Korean restaurants are serving creative cocktails that pair Yuzu with Sake, Shochu, Whiskey, Gin and more, to complement their menus. A Whiskey Sour or Mojito with Yuzu goes well with sushi or Bibimbap. Coconut drinks get a lift from a shot of tart Yuzu juice. Yuzu marmalade is even blended into drinks.
Yuzu Baths, a Japanese Tradition
In Japan, the winter solstice means it is time for a soothing hot bath with Yuzu. Whole or halved Yuzu fruits are floated in a hot bath, releasing the fragrant oils from the fruit. This is believed to benefit the skin and prevent colds. It’s certainly relaxing.
Try Yuzu At Home
Now that Yuzu juice, Yuzu Kosho and Marmalade and Honey are more available, they can become staples in your pantry. A bottle of Yuzu juice is an easy swap for lemon or vinegar in recipes. Try a new Japanese or Korean recipe that features this unique fruit. You’ll be glad you did.