Anyone have a Yuzu Kosho recipe for someone who is states side? Whether it be USA sourced ingredients all the way to plant my own peppers and or source ingredients from here.
by 37LincolnZephyr
6 Comments
mtdesigner
I actually really enjoy chef Andy’s [video](https://youtube.com/shorts/OaeWZqIEH2g?si=DmAcqy82n4D0hnpe) on how to make any kind of citrus based kosho bc he works with what he’s got, since it’s hard to source yuzu and peppers outside of Japan.
Xx_GetSniped_xX
Good luck getting fresh yuzu in the US. Trees take years to produce and there are only a handful of farms and they basically only sell to restaurants. One option would be to use lemons, limes or oranges for the zest instead and make a kosho with those. If you definitely want to use yuzu then you can buy the rind frozen or dried and work with it that way. As for the peppers im not sure about a replacement other than salting and aging some peppers yourself.
Ghosted_Ahri
That looks like a banger strain
Reasonable_Slice8561
I de seed and blend whole yuzu and add de seeded blended peppers, about 20/80, then 10% salt by weight to that.
yvwa
Finely, finely zest a lot of citrus (I like lemon, line, and a bit of grapefruit).
Weigh the yield.
Add about the same amount of mild green peppers (in the U.S., I would probably look at jalapenos). Add a bit of citrus juice, just enough to have it a bit moist.
Weigh the total, and get around 11% of that weight salt.
Now grind everything as fine as you can. Mortar and pestle is ideal, but don’t worry to much.
Pack in small pots. Top with a bit of citrus juice.
Up until here, you can basically wing it. But here’s the most important part: you have to make sure the citrus/pepper mix isn’t exposed to air, especially the first few days. So add something on top: a citrus rind, weighed down, a halved pepper, also weighed down, a food safe ziplock with a 11% saline solution (in case in accidentally leaks) will all do.
Leave on the counter for 2-4 days. Check twice daily if your kosho is still submerged, push down with a clean spoon if needed.
Store in fridge for at least a month (this is the hardest part for me!).
After that, it should be done, and shelf stable too. I have some that’s over a year old and itt only gets better.
Japanese store bought (I brought some home last summer) is a bit drier, but the taste is very much the same. To be honest, if I were able to get my hands on fresh yuzu here (Europe), I wouldn’t put it in kosho: the amount of salt used to preserve the citrus overpowers the subtle taste of the yuzu, and I’d prefer to prepare something with it that highlights it’s taste.
bitterandstirred
I’ve made it a few times, only red. I used to have a yuzu tree (sadly, couldn’t take it with me when I moved), and could also get them at the Japanese markets and from one vendor at the Hollywood farmers market. Fresh yuzu are of course going to be the best, here’s one farms that sells them:
As for the chilis, I grew Takanotsume and Yatsufusu from seed, and in the end I decided that wasn’t really worth the effort, Thai chilis work just as well.
I never tried making Yuzu Kosho with the frozen strips of zest, but I did use some in a fermented hot sauce, and that was killer.
6 Comments
I actually really enjoy chef Andy’s [video](https://youtube.com/shorts/OaeWZqIEH2g?si=DmAcqy82n4D0hnpe) on how to make any kind of citrus based kosho bc he works with what he’s got, since it’s hard to source yuzu and peppers outside of Japan.
Good luck getting fresh yuzu in the US. Trees take years to produce and there are only a handful of farms and they basically only sell to restaurants. One option would be to use lemons, limes or oranges for the zest instead and make a kosho with those. If you definitely want to use yuzu then you can buy the rind frozen or dried and work with it that way. As for the peppers im not sure about a replacement other than salting and aging some peppers yourself.
That looks like a banger strain
I de seed and blend whole yuzu and add de seeded blended peppers, about 20/80, then 10% salt by weight to that.
Finely, finely zest a lot of citrus (I like lemon, line, and a bit of grapefruit).
Weigh the yield.
Add about the same amount of mild green peppers (in the U.S., I would probably look at jalapenos).
Add a bit of citrus juice, just enough to have it a bit moist.
Weigh the total, and get around 11% of that weight salt.
Now grind everything as fine as you can. Mortar and pestle is ideal, but don’t worry to much.
Pack in small pots. Top with a bit of citrus juice.
Up until here, you can basically wing it. But here’s the most important part: you have to make sure the citrus/pepper mix isn’t exposed to air, especially the first few days. So add something on top: a citrus rind, weighed down, a halved pepper, also weighed down, a food safe ziplock with a 11% saline solution (in case in accidentally leaks) will all do.
Leave on the counter for 2-4 days. Check twice daily if your kosho is still submerged, push down with a clean spoon if needed.
Store in fridge for at least a month (this is the hardest part for me!).
After that, it should be done, and shelf stable too. I have some that’s over a year old and itt only gets better.
Japanese store bought (I brought some home last summer) is a bit drier, but the taste is very much the same. To be honest, if I were able to get my hands on fresh yuzu here (Europe), I wouldn’t put it in kosho: the amount of salt used to preserve the citrus overpowers the subtle taste of the yuzu, and I’d prefer to prepare something with it that highlights it’s taste.
I’ve made it a few times, only red. I used to have a yuzu tree (sadly, couldn’t take it with me when I moved), and could also get them at the Japanese markets and from one vendor at the Hollywood farmers market. Fresh yuzu are of course going to be the best, here’s one farms that sells them:
https://www.pearsonranch.com/collections/yuzu?srsltid=AfmBOorOXgMMtK2ygDXYp-wxrsE16J3UQkBC7xNrIatDLsGyv3WoHzTP
As for the chilis, I grew Takanotsume and Yatsufusu from seed, and in the end I decided that wasn’t really worth the effort, Thai chilis work just as well.
I never tried making Yuzu Kosho with the frozen strips of zest, but I did use some in a fermented hot sauce, and that was killer.