Dear Japanese Food Lovers

 

Thank you very much for your visit to my blog.

Have you ever tried YUZU-KOSHOU before?  YUZU-KOSHOU (柚子胡椒) is a Japanese seasoning made from pepper (green is most popular), salt and YUZU (Citrus junos). YUZU-KOSHOU was originally born in Kyushu region (southern part of Japan), and it is common daily use seasoning. It is used to various types of dishes in Kyushu. The taste of YUZU-KOSHOU is quite spicy hot even with a little amount, but it can become very addictive to most people who try it. There are many YUZU-KOSHOU products at stores in Japan, but some Japanese households make YUZU-KOSHOU at homes with their own family recipes. Because spicy level, chunky level, and salty level are all different, I highly recommend you should try several products to find your favorite one.

Generally speaking, the first experience of YUZU-KOSHOU for Japanese food lovers from and/or in oversea is “Yakitori dish served with YUZU-KOSHOU“. Nabe dish (Japanese hot pot dish) during winter season is also a popular dish with YUZU-KOSHOU among Japanese food lovers. However, are these all?? The answer is “NO”! There are so many various ways of using YUZU-KOSHOU at home meal levels even in modern style, but not too creative. So, don’t worry about your Japanese cooking skills. You do not have to cook Yakitori or Nabe dishes to enjoy YUZU-KOSHOU at home. I would like to introduce you how to enjoy YUZU-KOSHOU more at home!

 

 

1. For Salad

There are so many kinds of salad dressings around the world; some are traditional, some are modern and creative. In fact, YUZU-KOSHOU is a great seasoning for salad dressing! If you would like some punch for your salad, YUZU-KOSHOU dressing is the one I recommend, and it can be easily made with YUZU-KOSHOU at home.

 

Combine ingredients except oil, first. Then add oil and mix them well. Done!! All you need to do is to apply this dressing to your salad.  Please make sure you adjust amount of YUZU-KOSHOU based on your spicy preference.

YUZU-KOSHOU dressing perfectly matches with any Japanese style salad dishes, such as Modern Sashimi Salad, Tomato & Tofu Salad, and Japanese White Radish Salad.

 

2. For Finger Food

YUZU-KOSHOU is also great ingredient for party finger foods and daily aperitifs.

If you can cook Japanese Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken), you can serve simple Karaage with YUZU-KOSHOU alone. Size of Karaage is ideally a one bite or two bites size.

You can add YUZUKOSHOU to your potato salad, too. Your adjustment of spiciness is required, but new type of potato salad will make your guests say “Wow!!!”

For another example, you can put a little bit of YUZU-KOSHOU on top of cream cheese (cut with one bite size). Mixing cream cheese and YUZU-KOSHOU is another suggestion, which can be served with plane crackers or lightly toasted sliced baguettes.

 

3. For Miso Soup

When you enjoy your bowl of miso soup, please try to drop a little bit of YUZU-KOSHOU. Your miso soup turns into spicy miso soup with yuzu aroma which is a great soup during a winter time to keep you warm. Instant miso soup is absolutely fine if you cannot cook miso soup from scratch. Very easy YUZU-KOSHOU meal you can prepare at home.

TONJIRU (miso soup with pork and vegetables) which was introduced in my early post “Learning about Japanese Soul Food” (Click here!) is also a fantastic match with YUZU-KOSHOU!

 

4. For Sandwich

For your sandwich YUZU-KOSHOU becomes great seasoning. Chicken sandwich, roast beef sandwich, turkey sandwich, avocado sandwich, shrimp sandwich, tuna sandwich…applying YUZU-KOSHOU like mustard to sandwich will make these sandwiches more fun, tasty, aromatic and different!! You can make YUZU-KOSHOU mayonnaise (just mixing YUZU-KOSHOU and mayonnaise) and apply to your sandwich, too. Japanese style sandwich is easy to make with a flavor and aroma of YUZU-KOSHOU!

 

5. For Main Dish

When you are able to get a great piece of meat for beef steak, I highly recommend you should enjoy its quality with YUZU-KOSHOU alone! Gravy, BBQ sauce, and time consuming sauce making are not required.   This is one of the mature ways of enjoying high quality stake in Japan. Simple is the best!! You can enjoy roast beef with YUZU-KOSHOU, which is also Japanese mature style of enjoying roast beef. I am sure that you will enjoy fantastic marriage of beef and YUZU-KOSHOU.

Regarding chicken main dish, don’t worry about your Yakitori cooking skill. All you need to do is to simply sauté chicken meat with salt and pepper. Crispy finishing is ideal.   Then, slice chicken and put YUZU-KOSHOU on the plate for serving. You do not have to stick to Yakitori cooking style at all.

YUZU-KOSHOU is great with steamed pork and roast pork, too. So, try various combinations with YUZU-KOSHOU for your new foody findings!

 

When you buy YUZU-KOSHOU at the store, you will have to buy it in a bottle or in a tube.   Since one time use of YUZU-KOSHOU is generally small, it is hard to finish an entire bottle or tube. It is typical tendency that you would end up not using up most of YUZU-KOSHOU. Let me remind you that YUZU-KOSHOU has potentials which you have never experienced before. Please try my YUZU-KOSHOU these recommendations for start and find your favorite marriage with surprise! Enjoy!!

Thank you very much for your reading!!

 

Kanpai !!

Fiona.S xoxo