Ponzu

[Yuki]

I have a bottle of Ponzu that I need to use up pretty quickly. What can I use it in other than as a dipping sauce and salad dressing?

[Hiroyuki]

One of the hardest questions to answer I encountered on eGullet!!

You can pour ponzu over rice porridge.

Photo:

http://www.ponzuya.co.jp/recipi/00012.html

You can also add ponzu to soup.

http://www.bekkoame.ne.jp/~kinoue/siru.html

(Sorry, Japanese only)

Just boil vegetables in water, add dashi and fish or meat, put it in a bowl, add shredded scallion, and add ponzu.

[torakris]

I was going to start a thread on ponzu just last week and I forgot....

I really love it with stir fries!

When I am digging around for just one more dish, I often toss some veggies in hot oil, season with salt and pepper, place it into a dish and pour ponzu all over it. You could add meat/tofu to te stir fry as well but I usually have just vegetables. Favorites include cabbage, Chinese cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts and onions.

Another favorite it to grill some shiitake (I do this on a griddle pan) and then pour ponzu on top.

Here is one of my favorite recipes from epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/105354

grilled salmon with a ponzu sauce

They make their own, but I have made this with the bottled stuff and it is great, I do it on the BBQ with a whole side of salmon but I am sure you could do smaller pieces under the broiler.

What is your favorite kind of ponzu?

I always buy the yuzu one.

[zeitoun]

Is Ponzu always a combination of citrus (yuzu, lemon or other), soy sauce and mirin? If you do not want to use the bottled stuff, what are the different ways one could make it?

[torakris]

Is Ponzu always a combination of citrus (yuzu, lemon or other), soy sauce and mirin? If you do not want to use the bottled stuff, what are the different ways one could make it?

←

The bottle I have at the moment (Mitsukan's yuzu-pon) lists the following ingredients on its label:

soy sauce

fructose

glucose

yuzu juice

vinegar

salt

flavorings

I have tried to make my own ponzu with various recipes, some as simple as soy sauce and juice mixed together and others with loads of ingredients that are cooked together. I have yet to get close to the bottled taste, so I have given up...

If anyone has a good recipe I would love to try it.

EDITED to add vinegar

Edited January 13, 2005 by torakris (log)

[Yuki]

I was going to start a thread on ponzu just last week and I forgot....

I really love it with stir fries!

When I am digging around for just one more dish, I often toss some veggies in hot oil, season with salt and pepper, place it into a dish and pour ponzu all over it. You could add meat/tofu to te stir fry as well but I usually have just vegetables. Favorites include cabbage, Chinese cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts and onions.

Another favorite it to grill some shiitake (I do this on a griddle pan) and then pour ponzu on top.

Here is one of my favorite recipes from epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/105354

grilled salmon with a ponzu sauce

They make their own, but I have made this with the bottled stuff and it is great, I do it on the BBQ with a whole side of salmon but I am sure you could do smaller pieces under the broiler.

What is your favorite kind of ponzu?

I always buy the yuzu one.

←

Thanks for the idea, I have some fresh shittake and frozen salmon. It is

-40C with a strong wind chill here so it will probably be baked in the oven. I thought all ponzu are made with ponzu or is that just my imagination?

[torakris]

There are lots of kinds of ponzu out there.

Here is Mitsukan's line-up:

http://www3.mizkan.co.jp/sapari/product/se...index.asp?id=05

for those who can't read it, here is the translation from the top row down

first row:

aji-pon (the most common one, ingredients list kankitsu juice, kankitsu just means citrus)

konbu ponzu (citrus juice and konbu dashi and soy sauce)

goma ponzu (ponzu with sesame paste and smashed seeds)

second row:

yuzu-pon (made with just yuzu, no other citrus)

pon-su (zu?) (this has no soy just the citrus juice and vinegar)

maru shibori yuzu (this is more of a "gourmet" yuzu ponzu)

third row:

sudachi ponzu (made with sudachi)

kabosu ponzu (made with kabosu)

aji-pon, black vinegar version (regular aji-pon but made with black vinegar)

[Anna N]

We recently discovered ponzu (the bottled kind) and have fallen in love with it. Generally use it to baste grilled chicken or salmon or as a dipping sauce. But often stare at the bottle and think - there's got to be more uses for this delicious stuff - so bring on the ideas.

[torakris]

We recently discovered ponzu (the bottled kind) and have fallen in love with it.  Generally use it to baste grilled chicken or salmon or as a dipping sauce.  But often stare at the bottle and think - there's got to be more uses for this delicious stuff - so bring on the ideas. 

←

sure!!

A favorite with the whole family are either hamburger patties or steak (cut into cubes) cooked in a fry pan then placed in a dish and topped with grated daikon and drizzled with a lot of ponzu.

[Hiroyuki]

I can never be imaginative about the uses of ponzu.

Most Japanese seem to be like me. I found this webpage, but no innovative uses of ponzu there.

http://www.kingdom.or.jp/nanchie/html/08/06_05.html

(Japanese only)

The most interesting use of ponzu that I have found so far is to drink it!

I'm counting on non-Japanese people to come up with interesting uses of ponzu.

By the way, Helen or anyone else who is familiar with Osaka, do you know of this product, Asahi Ponzu?

http://8929.jp/ponz/index.html

It seems like a very good one.

Slightly off topic, the mere words 'yuzu juice' made my mouth water! Very tempting!

http://www.orenjiha-to.com/2umaji/

[zeitoun]

aji-pon (the most common one, ingredients list kankitsu juice, kankitsu just means citrus)

←

Not sure if this is conventional but I usually soak my serving of o-Nabe with aji-pon, then when the rice and egg is mixed at the end with the remaining broth, I add more aji-pon. I just love this stuff.

[torakris]

I often make nabe just because I "need" ponzu...

[montrachet]

By the way, Helen or anyone else who is familiar with Osaka, do you know of this product, Asahi Ponzu?

http://8929.jp/ponz/index.html

It seems like a very good one.

This is the one item I ask for when my cousins in Osaka come to visit me. It is a beautifully balanced ponzu that is wonderful with almost anything.

- m

[petite tête de chou]

Perhaps you could brush it over grilled/broiled pineapple or oranges? Seems like that would be tasty.

[helenjp]

Hiroyuki, I don't know that ponzu (and it's something like 25 years since I was in Osaka ), but it does look good.

My first husband's family came from Shikoku, so whenever possible, they would make their own ponzu from sudachi, which are Japan's answer to limes.

I like ponzu as a substitute for soy/sugar flavorings in stirfry or simmered dishes - the very best of low-carb Japanese cooking, and fast enough for bento food! Cooking vinegar enhances its sweetness.

Now maybe miso-pon would be a good variation on garlic/soy/vinegar simmered chicken and pork dishes. Miso-pon and all its friends are great salad dressings, but I'm sure they could be so much more...

[torakris]

I have been searching for that asahi ponzu everywhere and can't find it....

Yesterday I picked up a bottle of kabosu ponzu and served with some avocado slices.. yum!

The recent edition of Kyou no Ryouri (cooking magazine) has a karaage (deep fried chicken) that is marinated in pozu, I am going to give it a try this weekend.

[Hiroyuki]

I have been searching for that asahi ponzu everywhere and can't find it....

←

No wonder. Here is a copy from the webpage:

旭ポンズは地元大阪でも販売している店が少ない、ツウにはかなり有名で貴重なポン酢です。

It's hard to come by even in Osaka.

[Yuki]

I finally got to try the Pan fried Ponzu Salmon, the ponzu is great at cutting the fattiness of the salmon. Next time, I will try it as a dumpling dipping sauce and marinating pork butt before baking them. Maybe a cold noodle dish can be made with it.... so many possibilities.

[jschyun]

I'm not proud of this, but sometimes I sip (yuzu) ponzu by itself (shhh). Using it as a salmon marinade is such a good idea, because I will pour it on salmon anyway... Thanks!

Edited February 2, 2005 by jschyun (log)

[easternsun]

I have been searching for that asahi ponzu everywhere and can't find it....

Yesterday I picked up a bottle of kabosu ponzu and served with some avocado slices.. yum!

The recent edition of Kyou no Ryouri (cooking magazine) has a karaage (deep fried chicken) that is marinated in pozu, I am going to give it a try this weekend.

←

i found this forum while looking for the nutritional facts for asahi ponzu, so it seems like a good place to make my first post.

i cannot live with asahi ponzu, no other will do...

some suggestions as to where you might find it - small shops that sell sake and beer, tofu shops and small meat vendors.

there is currently a "price war" between the chicken shop and the tofu shop near my home! the signs keep getting bigger ! in one shop, a small bottle is 600 yen, in the other, it is 580.

i would love to buy the giant size, but i cant figure out how to fit it in my fridge

one of my favourite uses of asahi ponzu is as a salad dressing, i mix it with some tahini, a little milk and a little mayo or plain yoghurt. it is my secret weapon in getting my darling husband to eat his raw veggies!

[torakris]

easternsun, welcome to egullet and the Japan Forum!!

I am really getting determined to find Asahi ponzu here in the Kanto area... though I am thinking I may have to mail order it.

What does it taste like? how does it differ from regular ponzu?

mix it with tahini you say....I might give this a try..

[easternsun]

easternsun, welcome to egullet and the Japan Forum!!

I am really getting determined to find Asahi ponzu here in the Kanto area... though I am thinking I may have to mail order it.

What does it taste like? how does it differ from regular ponzu?

mix it with tahini you say....I might give this a try..

←

thanks for the welcome...

i just taste tested both mitsukan`s ajipon and asahi ponzu. the ajipon is only here because we ran out one night mid-nabe!! horror of horrors!!

the ajipon definitely tastes more chemically to me. with asahi ponzu, the yuzu flavour just bursts in your mouth.

if you like goma (sesame) dressing then you will love the tahini/ponzu combination!

is asahi ponzu a kansai thing? the shotengai near my home has it in every other shop...no kidding!

[Kiem Hwa]

is asahi ponzu a kansai thing?  the shotengai near my home has it in every other shop...no kidding!

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Hi Easternsun! Welcome to eGullet! Im glad to see there is another Kansai person joining our group (My sister is living in Osaka, and I get to go visit her again this spring )

Do you think you could list a few places in Kansai (Osaka???) where you pick up your Asahi ponzu? This is on my (long) list of things to buy this spring when I come again.

[EdS]

...

What is your favorite kind of ponzu?

I always buy the yuzu one.

←

I've been content with my ponzu though not totally excited about using it. Then it struck me that maybe I don't have the "good" stuff. I ran to the fridge and found I have aji-pon made with "citrus". If they can't be bothered to name the fruit used, I figure it must be whatever is cheapest and maybe not very good. I'm going to get myself some real yuzu ponzu!

[easternsun]

is asahi ponzu a kansai thing?  the shotengai near my home has it in every other shop...no kidding!

←

Hi Easternsun! Welcome to eGullet! Im glad to see there is another Kansai person joining our group (My sister is living in Osaka, and I get to go visit her again this spring )

Do you think you could list a few places in Kansai (Osaka???) where you pick up your Asahi ponzu? This is on my (long) list of things to buy this spring when I come again.

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hi! springtime in japan....lovely!

you know, i am certain they have it at kansai super, kintetsu department store, and as i said, close to my house in the covered shopping a lot of different vendors carry it. look in tofu, chicken, sake shops.

keep in touch, if you cant find it when you are here, i will sort you out!