What is Ponzu?
It is a special citrus/soy sauce blend. It is traditionally made with a Yuzu fruit- similar in look and taste to North American lemons.
What is it used for?
This sauce has as many uses, if not more, than soy sauce! I use it for salad vinaigrette, dipping tataki (seared meat or fish)or sashimi (raw fish), glazing meats (it works wonders on chicken), and I also use it as a base for creating new sauces.
Feel free to experiment with this sauce. There are dozens of ingredients you could add to make it your own! A lot of my friends in the sushi business add a touch of cayenne pepper or chili oil. Just add a dash of truffle oil and you have the perfect salad dressing.
Although you can buy this sauce at a store, it tastes much better when you make it from scratch.
Here’s what you will need:
- 1 cup Shoyu (soy sauce)
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup Mirin (sweet, slightly alcoholic, rice wine vinegar)
- 1/2 cup katsuboshi (fish flakes)
**Special note, katsuboshi is relatively cheap and can be found at most Asian markets. It looks a lot like a bag of thinly sliced wood chips, oddly enough.
- Add the liquid ingredients together and stir in a pot until it comes to a boil
- As soon as the sauce boils, add the katsuboshi and take the sauce off the heat
- Allow the fish flakes to season in the sauce for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours
- Strain the sauce and chill it (covered) in the fridge
- Serve and enjoy!
Ponzu is an easy sauce that keeps well for at least a week. It’s a wonderful alternative to salads and sushi alike.
I love marinating vegetables and meats with this sauce. It adds a nice, refreshing zing to almost any food it touches.
Try it out today!
