Fruit

Yuzu

Yuzu (Citrus junos) is a cold-hardy East Asian citrus with knobbly yellow-green to yellow rind and scant, seedy, very sour pulp. Cooks prize the aromatic zest and juice more than eating the segments out of hand—perfume sits between lemon, grapefruit, and mandarin with floral resin notes. Japan and Korea lead culinary use; fresh fruit is seasonal and costly outside Asia, so bottled juice and kosho paste are common substitutes. Season sashimi, ponzu, ceviche, desserts, and cocktails; grate zest over grilled fish and vegetables; preserve as yuzu cha or mix chilli and salt into yuzu kosho. A little goes far—juice is sharper than lemon with a distinct top note. Avoid confusing with sudachi or kabosu, related but not identical citrus used in similar roles.