Yuzu
Encyclopedia
The yuzu is a citrus
fruit
and plant originating in East Asia
. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. The fruit looks a bit like a very small grapefruit
with an uneven skin, and can be either yellow or green depending on the degree of ripeness. Yuzu fruits, which are very aromatic, typically range between 5.5 and 7.5 cm in diameter, but can be as large as a grapefruit (up to 10 cm or larger).
, resembling those of the related kaffir lime
and ichang papeda, and are heavily scented. Yuzu closely resemble sudachi
in many regards; they share a similar mandarin-ichang papeda ancestry, though sudachi will eventually ripen to an orange color, and there are subtle differences in the flavor of the fruit.
The Yuzu originated in China
, and also grows wild in central China and Tibet
. It was introduced to Japan
and Korea
during the Tang Dynasty
and it is in these nations that it is cultivated most widely. Confusingly, in modern Chinese, the name 柚子 (yòuzi) refers to the pomelo
, while the yuzu is known as 香橙 (xiāngchéng).
It is unusual among citrus plants in being relatively frost-hardy, due to its cold-hardy C. ichangensis
ancestry, and can be grown in regions with winters at least as low as -9°C (15°F) where more sensitive citrus would not thrive. In Japan, an ornamental version of yuzu called "flower yuzu" is also grown for its flowers rather than its fruit. A sweet variety of yuzu known as the yuku became severely endangered during the 1970s and 1980s; a strong attempt has been made at reviving this varietal in southern Japan
.
Another variety of yuzu with knobby skin is called .photo
. It is rarely eaten as a fruit, though in the Japanese cuisine
its aromatic zest
(outer rind) is used to garnish some dishes, and its juice is commonly used as a seasoning, somewhat like the way the lemon
is used in other cuisines. It is an integral ingredient (along with sudachi, daidai
, and other similar fruits) in the citrus-based sauce ponzu
, and yuzu vinegar
is also produced. Yuzu is often combined with honey to make yuzu hachimitsu (柚子蜂蜜) - a kind of syrup that is used to make yuzu tea (柚子茶) or as an ingredient in alcoholic drinks such as the yuzu sour (柚子サワー). It is also used to make liquor (such as yuzukomachi, 柚子小町) and wine. Yuzu can also be used to make various sweets including marmalade
and cake
. Yuzu kosho
(also yuzukosho, literally "yuzu and pepper"), is a spicy Japanese sauce made from green or yellow yuzu zest, green or red chili pepper
s, and salt. Slivered yuzu rind is also used to garnish a savory, salty egg-pudding dish called chawanmushi
, as well as miso soup
.
It is often used alongside with sudachi
and kabosu
.
-like syrup containing pieces of the chopped rind and fruit. A tablespoon of this syrup (which can either be made at home or purchased in glass jars) stirred into a cup of hot water makes a beverage called yujacha
(유자차), lit. "yuzu tea", which is used as a herbal remedy for the common cold and similar winter illnesses.
It is also used to make yuja hwachae
, a variety of traditional fruit punch.
. The Finnish soft drink manufacturer Hartwall
has a limited edition soda which contains yuzu. Yuzu has also been used in beer, in the Dutch
beer called iKi
and in Finnish cider called Golden Cap Black, brewed in Finland
. BridgePort Brewing also used the fruit in its new summer beer, Summer Squeeze.
(the winter solstice) is a popular custom. The whole fruits are floated in the hot water of the bath (sometimes enclosed in a cloth bag), releasing their aroma. The fruit may also be cut in half, allowing the citrus juice to mingle with the bathwater. The 'yuzuyu,' or yuzu bath, is said to guard against colds, warm the body, and relax the mind.
The body of the taepyeongso
, a Korean traditional oboe, is often made from yuzu wood.
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
and plant originating in East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. The fruit looks a bit like a very small grapefruit
Grapefruit
The grapefruit , is a subtropical citrus tree known for its sour fruit, an 18th-century hybrid first bred in Barbados. When found, it was named the "forbidden fruit"; it has also been misidentified with the pomelo or shaddock , one of the parents of this hybrid, the other being sweet orange The...
with an uneven skin, and can be either yellow or green depending on the degree of ripeness. Yuzu fruits, which are very aromatic, typically range between 5.5 and 7.5 cm in diameter, but can be as large as a grapefruit (up to 10 cm or larger).
Description
Yuzu forms an upright shrub or small tree, which commonly contains numerous large thorns. Leaves are notable for a large petiolePetiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
, resembling those of the related kaffir lime
Kaffir lime
The kaffir lime, Citrus × hystrix, Rutaceae), is also known as combava, kieffer lime, limau purut, jeruk purut or makrut lime,...
and ichang papeda, and are heavily scented. Yuzu closely resemble sudachi
Sudachi
Sudachi is a small, round, green citrus fruit which belongs to the papeda subgroup of citrus plants....
in many regards; they share a similar mandarin-ichang papeda ancestry, though sudachi will eventually ripen to an orange color, and there are subtle differences in the flavor of the fruit.
The Yuzu originated in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and also grows wild in central China and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. It was introduced to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
during the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
and it is in these nations that it is cultivated most widely. Confusingly, in modern Chinese, the name 柚子 (yòuzi) refers to the pomelo
Pomelo
The pomelo is a citrus fruit native to Southeast Asia. It is usually pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet white flesh and very thick albedo . It is the largest citrus fruit, 15–25 cm in diameter, and usually weighing 1–2 kg...
, while the yuzu is known as 香橙 (xiāngchéng).
It is unusual among citrus plants in being relatively frost-hardy, due to its cold-hardy C. ichangensis
Ichang Lemon
Citrus ichangensis, the Ichang papeda , is a slow-growing species of the genus Citrus, which has characteristic lemon-scented foliage and flowers. It is native to south-western and west-central China and is likely named for the city of Yichang , in China's Hubei province...
ancestry, and can be grown in regions with winters at least as low as -9°C (15°F) where more sensitive citrus would not thrive. In Japan, an ornamental version of yuzu called "flower yuzu" is also grown for its flowers rather than its fruit. A sweet variety of yuzu known as the yuku became severely endangered during the 1970s and 1980s; a strong attempt has been made at reviving this varietal in southern Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Another variety of yuzu with knobby skin is called .photo
Use in Japanese cuisine
The yuzu's flavor is tart, closely resembling that of the grapefruit, with overtones of Mandarin orangeMandarin orange
The orange, also known as the ' or mandarine , is a small citrus tree with fruit resembling other oranges. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads...
. It is rarely eaten as a fruit, though in the Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
its aromatic zest
Zest (ingredient)
Zest is a food ingredient that is prepared by scraping or cutting from the outer, colorful skin of citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, citron, and lime. Zest is used to add flavor to foods....
(outer rind) is used to garnish some dishes, and its juice is commonly used as a seasoning, somewhat like the way the lemon
Lemon
The lemon is both a small evergreen tree native to Asia, and the tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its juice, though the pulp and rind are also used, mainly in cooking and baking...
is used in other cuisines. It is an integral ingredient (along with sudachi, daidai
Daidai
The daidai , is an Asian variety of bitter orange. The name daidai, originally meaning several generations, originates from the fruit staying on the tree for several years if not picked. The colour of the fruit returns to green in the spring.The daidai originated in the Himalayas...
, and other similar fruits) in the citrus-based sauce ponzu
Ponzu
is a citrus-based sauce commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It is tart, with a thin, watery consistency and a light yellow color. Ponzu shōyu or ponzu jōyu is ponzu sauce with soy sauce added, and the mixed product is widely referred to as simply ponzu.The element pon arrived in the Japanese...
, and yuzu vinegar
Vinegar
Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes. Slow methods generally are used with traditional...
is also produced. Yuzu is often combined with honey to make yuzu hachimitsu (柚子蜂蜜) - a kind of syrup that is used to make yuzu tea (柚子茶) or as an ingredient in alcoholic drinks such as the yuzu sour (柚子サワー). It is also used to make liquor (such as yuzukomachi, 柚子小町) and wine. Yuzu can also be used to make various sweets including marmalade
Marmalade
Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits, boiled with sugar and water. The benchmark citrus fruit for marmalade production in Britain is the "Seville orange" from Spain, Citrus aurantium var...
and cake
Cake
Cake is a form of bread or bread-like food. In its modern forms, it is typically a sweet and enriched baked dessert. In its oldest forms, cakes were normally fried breads or cheesecakes, and normally had a disk shape...
. Yuzu kosho
Yuzukoshō
is a type of Japanese seasoning. It is a paste made from chili peppers, yuzu peel and salt, which is then allowed to ferment. It is usually used as a condiment for nabemono dishes, miso soup, and sashimi...
(also yuzukosho, literally "yuzu and pepper"), is a spicy Japanese sauce made from green or yellow yuzu zest, green or red chili pepper
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
s, and salt. Slivered yuzu rind is also used to garnish a savory, salty egg-pudding dish called chawanmushi
Chawanmushi
Chawanmushi is an egg custard dish found in Japan that uses the seeds of ginkgo. Unlike many other custards, it is usually eaten as an appetizer...
, as well as miso soup
Miso soup
is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called "dashi" into which is mixed softened miso paste. Many ingredients are added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference.-Miso paste:...
.
It is often used alongside with sudachi
Sudachi
Sudachi is a small, round, green citrus fruit which belongs to the papeda subgroup of citrus plants....
and kabosu
Kabosu
is a juicy green citrus fruit closely related to the yuzu with the sharpness of lemon, used instead of vinegar in some Japanese dishes. It grows on a flowering plant with sharp thorns, and the fruit is harvested when still green but ripens to yellow...
.
Use in Korean cuisine
In Korean cuisine, yuzu (called yuja in Korean) is used, thinly sliced and combined with sugar and honey, to make a thick, marmaladeMarmalade
Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits, boiled with sugar and water. The benchmark citrus fruit for marmalade production in Britain is the "Seville orange" from Spain, Citrus aurantium var...
-like syrup containing pieces of the chopped rind and fruit. A tablespoon of this syrup (which can either be made at home or purchased in glass jars) stirred into a cup of hot water makes a beverage called yujacha
Yujacha
Yujacha or yuja cha is a traditional Korean tea made from citron. Yuja fruit is thinly sliced with its peel and combined with honey or sugar, prepared as fruit preserves...
(유자차), lit. "yuzu tea", which is used as a herbal remedy for the common cold and similar winter illnesses.
It is also used to make yuja hwachae
Yuja hwachae
Yuja hwachae is a variety of hwachae, Korean traditional fruit punch made with finely shredded yuja , bae and honey or sugar. In Korea, yuja are largely cultivated in the southern part of the Korean peninsula such as Goheung and Wando, Geoje, and Namhae...
, a variety of traditional fruit punch.
Use in Western cuisines
Beginning in the early 21st century, yuzu has been increasingly used by chefs in the United States and other Western nations, achieving notice in a 2003 article in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. The Finnish soft drink manufacturer Hartwall
Hartwall
Hartwall is a beverage company based in Helsinki, Finland. It was founded in 1836. Its soft drinks range includes Hartwall Jaffa and Hartwall Novelle water. The company also owns the license for manufacturing and selling PepsiCo's Pepsi, 7 Up and Mountain Dew brands in Finland...
has a limited edition soda which contains yuzu. Yuzu has also been used in beer, in the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
beer called iKi
Iki
"IKI", as an acronym, can stand for:* The Internationales Kulturinstitut in Vienna.* A loosely organized group of early Finnish internet activists, Internet-käyttäjät ikuisesti .* The chemical compound, Iodine potassium-iodide....
and in Finnish cider called Golden Cap Black, brewed in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. BridgePort Brewing also used the fruit in its new summer beer, Summer Squeeze.
Other uses
Yuzu is also known for its characteristically strong aroma, and the oil from its skin is marketed as a fragrance. In Japan, bathing with yuzu on TojiWinter solstice
Winter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
(the winter solstice) is a popular custom. The whole fruits are floated in the hot water of the bath (sometimes enclosed in a cloth bag), releasing their aroma. The fruit may also be cut in half, allowing the citrus juice to mingle with the bathwater. The 'yuzuyu,' or yuzu bath, is said to guard against colds, warm the body, and relax the mind.
The body of the taepyeongso
Taepyeongso
The taepyeongso is a Korean double reed wind instrument in the shawm or oboe family, probably descended from the Persian zurna and closely related to the Chinese suona...
, a Korean traditional oboe, is often made from yuzu wood.
External links
- "Yuzu Wisely - Japan's power citrus is a welcome cocktail alternative", by The Tasting Table, August 29, 2009
- Article about yuzu
- Article from The New York Times
- "Yuzu & Huckleberry: Flavors of the Moment", by Janet Fletcher, from San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, May 31, 2006
- Yuzu articles
- Photo of a bottle of yuzu juice
- "Food Marketers Put Taro, Yuzu In Recipe For Growth", by Sonia Reyes, from Brandweek, June 26, 2006
Listening
- "Cooks Look for Answers to Citrus Freeze", from National Public Radio Weekend Edition Sunday, January 28, 2007