Ponzu
Ingredients
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- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 4 grams kombu – wiped
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 10 grams katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
- 1/2 cup yuzu juice – freshly squeezed
Instructions
1. In a small saucepan, bring mirin and rice vinegar to a bare simmer over medium heat, 30–60 seconds, then remove from the heat.
2. Wipe the kombu, add it to the hot mixture, cover, and steep for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the soy sauce and katsuobushi, cover, and let infuse until just warm, about 15 minutes.
4. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, 20–30 minutes, then stir in the yuzu juice.
5. Transfer the mixture to a clean jar, cover, and refrigerate to mature, 12–24 hours, until the flavors are rounded and balanced.
6. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth without pressing on the solids; bottle and refrigerate. Use within 1 month.
Ponzu is a bright, savory Japanese citrus sauce prized for its balance of salty shoyu, tangy citrus, and deep oceanic umami. It tastes clean and zippy, with rounded depth from kombu and katsuobushi that keeps the acidity in check. It’s versatile: drizzle over sashimi or tataki, dip for gyoza and tempura, dress cold noodles and salads, or finish grilled meats and vegetables.
Historically, the word combines the Dutch-inspired “pon” (from pons, or punch) with the Japanese “su” (vinegar), describing a citrus vinegar rather than a soy blend. Over time, cooks began mixing that citrus base with shoyu, yielding what’s often called ponzu shoyu—the version most known outside Japan today. Regional citrus such as yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, and daidai shape local character, while bottled ponzu popularized the sauce nationwide.