What is yuzu fruit

If you've ventured out into the dining scene lately, chances are you've encountered yuzu on the menu. Chefs, bakers and mixologists have long been using this unique citrus to bring that je ne sais quoi factor to their dishes. Fortunately, you don't have to be a seasoned food professional to know how to use this fruit. Here's everything you need to know about yuzu—from what it tastes like and how to cook and source it, to some of its potential health benefits.

Yuzu is a fragrant and sour citrus fruit that originates from China or Korea but is most often associated with the food of Japan. Also referred to as a Japanese citron, or yuja in Korean, yuzu is a hybrid citrus variety, a cross between the Ichang papeda and a sour mandarin orange. So, what does a yuzu fruit look like? It is similar in size and appearance to a tangerine, but its rind is thick and bumpy. Yuzu's peel starts off green and turns into a warm yellow when ripe. Inside, the fruit's flesh is yellow and full of many seeds, resulting in much less juice per fruit than a lemon or lime. Due to this and how difficult it is to harvest, yuzu is more expensive compared to other citrus varieties.

Yuzu is very sour and tastes like a mix between a tangy lemon, bitter grapefruit and sweet orange. Its tart flavor profile is underscored with hints of floral and herbal notes. Compared to other more common citrus varieties, yuzu has a powerful aroma, giving off a zesty, honeysuckle-like fragrance when ripe.

Yuzu is an ingredient that can be found in both Japanese and Korean cooking. However, the fruit is more widely used in the former. In Japanese cuisine, yuzu features in a variety of foods, ranging from soup and sashimi to pastries. It also plays a significant role during celebrations like the one for the winter solstice, during which taking a yuzu bath is said to bring good luck. On the island of Shikoku, one of the largest producers of yuzu in Japan, the fruit is a celebrated commodity and emblem. One of the island's prefectures even holds a festival every fall solely dedicated to the fruit.

In the kitchen, yuzu can be used the same way you would use a lemon or lime. Its juice can provide acid and depth to a dish, while its zest can bring a little zing and fragrance. Use it in your next vinaigrette, marinade, cocktail or dessert, and the end result will be a tarter and more floral version than the original recipe. Although yuzu is rarely, if ever, eaten straight, the entire fruit can be preserved in sugar and eaten like marmalade or used as a compote for tea, which is known as yuja-cha in Korea.

Unlike lemons and limes, which are most prized when fully ripe and juicy, yuzu can be used during all stages of maturity. When the fruit is unripe, green and rock-hard, its zest can be used as a wonderful garnish or flavoring agent. In Japan, green zest is often used to make yuzu kosho–a spicy fermented paste made with yuzu zest, chiles and salt.

Yuzu is also a popular ingredient found in aromatherapy and skin-care products. The fruit's fragrance is said to have a calming effect, while its high concentration of vitamin C is said to help with anti-aging regimes.

Fresh yuzu can be hard to come by in the United States because the U.S. does does not allow the fruit to be imported from other countries. However, finding it is not impossible as there are a number of farmers, mostly in California, who grow yuzu stateside. Look for green yuzu at the farmers' market or in specialty stores from August to October and yellow yuzu from November to December. Alternatively, bottled and pasteurized yuzu juice can easily be found year-round online and at Asian grocery stores, especially at Japanese markets. Both shelf-stable and frozen options are available.

Aside from pure yuzu juice, there are many other products that feature the fruit as their star ingredient. For a little spice, look for packaged yuzu kosho at the Japanese market—green varieties are usually made with unripe zest, while red varieties are most often made with ripe zest. For something sweet, yuja-cha is an easy find at a Korean store. Yuzu-flavored products are also becoming easier to find at non-Asian markets, so keep a lookout the next time you go to your regular shop (the beverage aisle is a good place to start).

In addition to its stellar culinary qualities, preliminary research has shown that yuzu's nutritional profile is a winner as well. The fruit is a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber, which are important nutrients for our body's well-being. Yuzu is also full of antioxidants such as vitamin C, flavonoids and carotenoids, which can help reduce inflammation and neutralize damage caused by free radicals. The fruit is especially high in vitamin C, containing 59% of the Daily Value in a 3.5- ounce serving of fresh juice.

Yuzu is a citrus fruit that is valued for its aromatic and flavorful juice and rind. Despite its complex profile, yuzu is surprisingly easy to use. Next time you find yourself reaching for a lemon or lime, go for yuzu instead. Your dish will shine with a new level of brightness, and your palate will thank you.

What is yuzu? Yuzu is Japan's subtle and flavourful citrus fruit power food with a to-die-for aroma. It's the new secret ingredient being used by Michelin chefs, and for good reason - it's delicious. Read on for more about this Japanese super food today!

What Is Yuzu

Yuzu (柚子) is Japanese citrus fruit. It's juice and zest can be used in so many ways - from savory to sweet and refreshing drinks. This magical citrus fruit has a strong aromatic fragrance and a divine flavor. It's a taste bomb of sweet and sour with a powerful fragrance.

Yuzu is very common in Japanese cuisine. You can use its citrus juice and skins for yuzu kosho, ramen, ponzu sauce, sunomono (Japanese vinegary salad), yuzu liqueur, hot pot, yuzu tea and much more. This Japanese citrus fruit has been increasingly used by chefs in the United States over the last few decades. (source)

Both the juice and the zest can be used in various ways like other citrus fruits or lemon. However, yuzu cannot be substituted by any other fruit due to it's strong fragrance and unique flavour.

I love yuzu because it's so tasty, versatile with an aroma to die for. Cooking with yuzu is a complete luxury.

When you cook yuzu, the delightfully citrusy fragrance fills your kitchen and brings alive any dish. It's sure to impress your family and friends. Bring joy to your life and share it with loved ones. Read on for more about yuzu!

How Yuzu Looks Like

Yuzu is about the size of a palm. The skin is thick and lumpy. Some scars and black dots on the surface are not uncommon. This means the yuzu is of a high quality. (source) If the yuzu is yellow, it's ripe, mature and larger than unripe green yuzu.

Yuzu is similar to other Japanese citrus fruits, kabosu, sudachi or mandarine. Make sure that you find a little indented protrusion on the bottom. That means it's yuzu!

How To Find Yuzu

Yuzu may not be readily available at your regular grocery store, but it's worth keeping eye out for it in your local Asian grocery store. So with a little attention at the right time of the year, you may be able to find it.

How to find yellow yuzu

Yellow yuzu is mature, fruity and juicier than green yuzu. The skin is soft and thick. I use yellow yuzu for yuzu kosho, yuzu liqueur, yuzu ponzu, yuzu sour and hot pot.

The best season to find it is winter. Check online or at your local Japanese or Asian store from December to February.

How to find green yuzu

Green yuzu is harvested before it becomes ripe, and is available in summer. So keep your eye out for it from August to September. Green yuzu is smaller than yellow yuzu. The skin is hard, and it has less juice than yellow yuzu.

The good news is that while yuzu fruit may be difficult to find, it's getting super popular. So keep looking - you may find it, and when you do, get it without hesitation! This is how I found it.

How To Use It

Andy loves yuzu, and so do I! Check out my yuzu recipes for some inspiration. You can enjoy this divine citrus fruit too. My yuzu recipes are authentic and inherited from my mother in Japan.

I'm always trying out new ways to cook with yuzu. So bookmark this page if you like yuzu and want to discover new recipes!

1. Yuzu Kosho

Make your very own yuzu kosho (chili citrus paste) from scratch. You’ll be looking for things to add it to and will soon understand why people love yuzu kosho so much in Japan!

Yuzu kosho is a spicy Japanese condiment made from green or yellow yuzu zest with chili peppers. It's fermented with sea salt. This is the secret to how yuzu kosho can induce the umami of the ingredients when it's added.

2. Yuzu Liqueur

When yellow yuzu season arrives in winter, I can't wait to make drink recipes with yuzu. And one of my favourites is homemade yuzu liqueur. It's super refreshing, slightly sweet and tangy. This homemade yuzu sake will impress your friends and bring to life any dinner party.

There's a science behind traditional Japanese homemade liqueur making. You'll learn how to transfer the aroma and flavour of yuzu juice and its zest beautifully into the drink.

3. Yuzu Ramen

Making ramen at home is very popular in Japan. Ramen is Japan's national food, and yuzu ramen is one of the super popular ramen recipes in the country.

This yuzu ramen is made with yuzu sauce combined with plant based Japanese dashi (broth). It's a light and refined transparent salt based soup. This yuzu ramen is a slightly spicy ramen with rich yuzu citrus flavor and aroma. You won’t be disappointed!

4. Red Yuzu Kosho

When golden yellow yuzu is combined with red chili, it becomes red yuzu kosho. It creates a powerful flavour and fragrance, which is totally different to any other citrus fruits. It's totally unique! Yuzu kosho is fermented and is made with a combination of citrus, chili and salt.

Red yuzu kosho works well with almost any savory dish. This Japanese condiment will change your life in the kitchen!

5. Yuzu Tea

Sweet and tangy, this homemade yuzu tea is delicious. It's the perfect citron tea for any occasion. Check out my recipe for how to make yuzu tea with no bitterness. I love yuzu tea because it keeps me warm from the inside during the chilly winter. Only two ingredients are required for this homemade herbal tea!

6. Green Yuzu Kosho

I love green yuzu kosho for its freshness and strong aroma. It's delicious! Pungent citrus flavour of yuzu will bring any types of savory dish to life! Check out this green yuzu kosho recipe, and discover something new flavour today.

7. Hot pot with Yuzu

This hot pot with yuzu recipe is made easily and is plant based. The flavour and umami comes with traditional Japanese ingredients for hot pot. It's often my favourite for a family dinner in the cold winter.

8. Yuzu ponzu sauce

Japanese yuzu ponzu sauce made with yuzu juice and other citrus fruit juice of kabosu and sudachi. The high quality of seasoning sauce is made by combining them with traditional Japanese seasonings of soy sauce, sake, mirin and rice vinegar.

You can dip hot and juicy gyoza. Or add it to salad, pasta, udon, rice bowls, cooked vegetables and many more! The possibility is infinite! The recipe will be coming soon.

How Yuzu Can Be Enjoyed

Cooking

Yuzu can be enjoyed in various ways. Both the juice and peel can be used for seasoning, condiments or desserts. My advice is to add juice and peel at the end of the cooking process. This way you can maximize the yuzu's fragrance and flavour. Add yuzu skin or yuzu juice before you combine the ingredients or serve to:

• pasta
• salad
• sautéing
• dessert

Or sprinkle finely grated yuzu skin over any main dish to enhance the flavour.

Yuzu bath

I enjoy yuzu even in the bath. The strong aroma and the oil from yuzu skin can make the bathing very special. In Japan, bathing with yuzu is customary on Toji, the winter solstice. It's believed that this yuzu yu (柚子湯) keeps the skin smooth and warms the body.

Simply float whole yuzu fruits or cut in half on the bath. I also use leftover yuzu skins after making ponzu. For this, add used yuzu skin into a cotton bag and let it release the aroma on the bath. It's a complete luxury and relaxes my mind and feelings...!