All About Yuzu
This small citrus fruit originating in East Asia has been popping up in restaurants and recipes alike. The yuzu fruit grows on a small shrub like tree and was created from a cross between a mandarin and Ichang papeda (another rugged citrus fruit indigenous to China). Rarely eaten for its fruit, the yuzu’s juice and zest are more typically used in cooking. Similar to lemon in the use of seasoning, the yuzu’s flavor is compared more to a grapefruit or mandarin orange.
Season
The Yuzu tree produces green fruit from June to August. Green yuzu can be harvested or the fruit can be left to ripen until it turns a bright yellow during November through December. Yuzu fruit cannot be imported, but is now grown in the United States since 2004. The fruit can be purchased in both its green or yellow phase. The yuzu rind can be purchased dried, frieze dried or as a powder. The juice is also bottled and can be purchased plain or mixed with vinegar.
How to pick it
Check your local Japanese market or check online for yuzu products. Goita Chitosuma brand, is highly rated.
How to store it
Depending on how you purchase your yuzu, treat the fruit as you would a lemon or lime. The juice must be refrigerated after opening and lasts up to three months.
We like it with
Yuzu juice is a necessity when making ponzu sauce and is a delicious addition to sushi, or sprinkled over raw scallops.
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