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The world of citrus fruits is like an endless option; every country, its district, village or even the remotest region has something innate and unique citrus fruits to offer. Often, while only a few of them bask in the limelight, the rest remain obscure and, at times, lost in the test of time. Yuzu belongs to the latter category. The yuzu fruit is believed to have originated in central China as an F1 cross between the ichang papeda and the mangshanyeju subspecies of mandarin orange. It has since spread to New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Italy, and France. Although it has travelled to several locations throughout the years, only a few people are aware of its existence. With a unique blend of tart, subtle sweetness and floral note, Yuzu tastes heavenly. A variety of cuisines have used Yuzu extensively. Additionally, it is favoured among chefs for its zing. Its flavour is captivating and refreshing. Let's explore Yuzu more.
What is Yuzu and how does it look and taste?
It can grow at high altitudes in temperatures just above freezing, making it the most cold-resistant of all the citrus fruits. Yuzu is famed for its signature intense aroma. This citrus fruit looks a lot like mini grapefruit. Large seeds, pulpy meat, and a golden-yellow rough skin characterise yuzu fruit. Depending on the maturity, its hue ranges between yellow and green, and its size varies from 5.5 to 7.5 cm. But rarely, it can grow up to 10 cm or 4 inches or larger. One may find a lot of similarities between yuzu and sudachi, a Japanese citrus from Tokushima Prefecture. But unlike sudachi, yuzu finally ripens to an orange colour and the flavours of the fruit change slightly.
A ripen yuzu fruit on the tree, Image Source: pxhere
Subspecies and types
Hana Yuzu is a type of this fruit, but what differentiates the former is an ornamental variation. It is also referred to as flower yuzu and is cultivated more for its floral charm than the fruit. An intensely sweet Yuku is another variation of Yuzu. But it is available only in Japan. Today, Yuku comes under one of the highly endangered species. In southern Japan, a significant effort was made to resuscitate Yuku in the 1970s and 1980s. Shishi yuzu is a different kind of yuzu found in Japan. Dangyuja, a Korean citrus fruit from Jeju Island, is commonly mistaken for yuzu due to its similar appearance and taste.
Yuzu in culinary use
Yuzu is a popular ingredient in Japanese cooking, where its outer peel and juice are used. It has a tangy, aromatic flavour with hints of mandarin orange. It is a critical ingredient in the citrus-based dressing ponzu. Likewise, it is integral to make yuzu vinegar. Have you heard about yuzu hachimitsu? It is a concoction blending yuzu with honey. This potion is a must to prepare yuzu tea alcoholic beverages like the yuzu sour. Yuzu kosho, is a hot Japanese sauce prepared from green or yellow yuzu zest, green or red chilli peppers, and salt. Yuzu kosho's literal translation is "yuzu with pepper."
Yuzu marmalade, Image Source: chopstickchronicles.com
Alcoholic beverages such as Yuzukomachi and wine are both made with them. Miso soup and chawanmushi, a savoury, salty egg pudding dish, employ shaved yuzu rind as a garnish. It is frequently used with kabosu and sudachi. Cake and marmalade are two delicacies that employ yuzu as an ingredient. This fruit is widely used in Doritos. Yuja is most frequently used to make yuja-cheong and yuja tea in Korean cuisine. Yuja can be used to make Yuja-cha, a yuja tea, and yuja-cheong, a marmalade prepared by sugaring peeled, de-pulped, and thinly sliced yuja. Another typical dish created with yuja is hwachae (fruit punch), a variant called yuja-hwachae. Yuja is frequently used in Korean-influenced Western dishes like salads.
It was brought to Japan over a millennium ago. The Japanese cuisine uses it in a variety of ways. Due to its distinctively fragrant peel, it is used as a traditional side dish for wild mushrooms and is thrown into soups, salads, and simmering meals at the last minute to release its perfume.
