Yuzu Kosho, where have you been all my life?
Yuzu is a wonderful citrus fruit that is virtually unknown outside of Japan and China. I certainly had never heard of it until I came to Japan; a fact that irritates me more than you can imagine. The flavour and fragrance of yuzu is complex, with musky, spicy and herbaceous notes (similar to clove or thyme) matching a flowery citrus aroma. It is this complexity that allows yuzu to simultaneously deepen and lighten earthy winter dishes.
In Japan it’s used in many ways: as a fragrant citrus note in clear winter soups; to add depth of flavour to winter sushi; as an ingredient in tea or fruit liquers; or even throwing the whole fruit in to perfume to a hot bath. However, through all of these my favourite use of yuzu is to make yuzu kosho, a condiment so simple and amazing that I find it hard to believe that it is not more popular worldwide.
This dish showcases yuzu kosho by teaming it with simple grilled meats. The soft texture and sweet flavour of each of these meats is a perfect match for the salty, complex astrigency of the yuzu kosho. It’s also great served with Japanese beef.
To make the yuzu kosho, take a large handful or two of green chillies. Split them lengthways. deseed them with the back of your thumbnail and remove the stem. The heat of your yuzu kosho will depend on the heat of your chillies, so choose them with this in mind. Yuzu kosho is not usually too hot, but however hot you want to make it is at your discretion.
With a peeler take all of the zest from the yuzu and finely mince it with a knife. Add the chillies and yuzu to a mortar with 1-2 tablespoons of very good quality mineral salt, and pound it all together. I like to leave it a little chunky, but it is also often heavily pounded to a very smooth paste. Remove it all to a clean jar and let the flavours come together for at least an hour or so but preferably overnight. The yuzu kocho will keep for weeks, so you can make it well in advance.
If you don’t have yuzu there is no real substitute, however, you might be able to recreate something similar using the zest of half a lime and half an orange, with a pinch of fresh thyme leaves. I haven’t tried this but I’m just hypothesising that the flavour might be at least remotely similar.
Scallops, pork and chicken all go beautifully well with yuzu kosho so to make the dish pictured, you just need to grill them. You can use slightly less salt in your seasoning because the yuzu kosho is very, very salty. I’ve serverd this with an assortment of Japanese pickles.
i remember trying it at a Wagyu Tasting event at Chef’s Armoury. very distinctive flavour. http://simonfoodfavourites.blogspot.com/2010/04/chefs-armoury-free-wagyu-tasting-event.html 🙂
Hi Adam
If you are prepared to do some planting, you might be lucky.
Have turned up a nursery – Wardell Citrus – on the north coast of NSW near Ballina, that is apparently selling Yuzu. Has grafted rootstock so should produce fruit in 1-2 years.
Google “Wardell Citus” for details.
Allan
probably not a good substitute, but is bottled yuzu available?
It’s strange, but I’m pretty sure that the direct Chinese translation of Yuzu is ‘柚子’, which, having eaten quite a few, I understand to be a pomelo. Hmm…
The Japanese Yuzu and
Korean yuja are cognates of the Chinese youzi which means pomelo but in Chinese the Yuzu is called xiangcheng.
Allan – Thanks for that. I actually have been looking for a source of yuzu in Australia so that is perfect!
Lynn – Bottled yuzu is available in Australia but it’s not a great substitute for the zest when making yuzu kocho. That said, perhaps using lemon zest and green chilli and then moistening with a concentrated yuzu juice might be OK. Never tried it though.
Nooblet – Yuzu is definitely not a pomelo. Pomelos are huge and often weigh 1-2 kilos. Yuzu are only about the size of a mandarin or smaller. I had heard that it was known in English as a “lemonade fruit”, but I am not sure that’ right either.
one can purchase lemonade trees. the fruit is not as acidic as lemons – are we on the right track?
Hi,
Another Nursery that has the Yuzu Grafted and Dwarf Grafted Yuzu and the Yuzu seedlings available, on the North coast of NSW is Forever Seeds.
They are a worldwide mail order Nursery on the net and send the citrus to all over NSW, QLD, VIC & ACT.
Web site if below if you are interested or just Google ” Forever Seeds”. They also have heaps of other Rare & Exotic Fruit & Nut trees , so worth the look.
http://www.forever-seeds.com
Email: info@forever-seeds.com
Bear in mind that one of the KEY ingredients to a decent Ponzu sauce is Yuzu juice. Until there is a good supply of commercial Yuzu in Australia, it must be presumes that the Ponzu sauce we are getting served is either (a) bottled Ponzu sauce *wrong!*; or (b) made using Yuzu concentrate *Eeewwww!!*
So I’m on a Yuzu mission, dammit! Because a good Ponzu sauce is to die for!!!!!!!!!!!
Am aflat aceasta pagina, dupa ce am cautat despre Yuzu Kosho,
where have you been all my life? pe Google. Se pare ca informatia
dvs e foarte valoroasa, mai ales ca am mai gasit aici si despre ora, ora exacta, lucruri interesante si folositoare.
Mult succes in continuare!
Chillingham bush tucker sell Yuzu fruit and also sudachi. They will post Australia wide.
Forever seeds has Yuzu an sudachi trees for sale. I have bought both.
My sudachi did only a year or two old and a long way from producing good fruit but my Yuzu is 6 years old 2+ meters tall and producing good fruit.
Save yourselves all of the hassle and just purchase S&B Yuzu Kosho in a tube. On a recent trip to Japan, my Japanese friends in Tokyo told me that’s what they use and presented me with some. It’s terrific!
I’ve always thought yuzu was somewhat like a cross between mandarin, grapefruit and an aromatic lemon in aroma and flavour. It is most definitely distinct and enchanting!
I have also seen trees available for delivery Australia wide from Citrus Men periodically.
I have been trying to grow yuzu with only moderate success and minimal fruit
As I understand a fruit grower in the Riverland has cut a whole lot of his citrus trees and grafted yuzu and has a stranglehold on the market for the fruit.
A Mclaren Vale distiller makes yuzu gin also
Definitely not pomelo or lemonade fruit as very distinct
The bottled juice is ok but no substitute for the zest in yuzu Kosho though great in Japanese based soy mirin sauces and marinades.
There is a Japanese saying about the difficulty of growing yuzu but it seems to do well as a graft.
I have been trying to grow yuzu with only moderate success and minimal fruit
As I understand a fruit grower in the Riverland has cut a whole lot of his citrus trees and grafted yuzu and has a stranglehold on the market for the fruit.
A Mclaren Vale distiller makes yuzu gin also
Definitely not pomelo or lemonade fruit as very distinct
The bottled juice is ok but no substitute for the zest in yuzu Kosho though great in Japanese based soy mirin sauces and marinades.
There is a Japanese saying about the difficulty of growing yuzu but it seems to do well as a graft.
Recent Channel 9 newspaper article identified three yuzu growers in Australia:
Buck’s Farm in Chillingham in northern NSW west of (Murwillumbah)
Mountain Yuzu, the largest Australian grower, at the foothills of the Victorian alps near Bright (Jane and Brian Casey)
G. M. Arnold & Son at Waikerie in South Australia’s Riverland region