Ponzu

[torakris]

last night I made an unbelievably simple dish of pork and Chinese cabbage steamed with a bit of sake then doused with ponzu.

not the prettiest thing to look at but is was really good. I just made alternating layers of thinly sliced pork and Chinese cabbage in a frypan, sprinkled it with some sake, turned the heat to low and steamed it for about 20 minutes. I then removed it from the pan, cut it into pieces and poured ponzu (yuzu-pon) on top.

[torakris]

last night's tofu-mizuna-myouga salad was dressed with my kabosu ponzu...wonderful!

[torakris]

last night I marinated 2 pieces of sashimi style tuna in yuzu ponzu, then seared it in a griddle pan. This was really good, it didn't add a strong flavor but was much better than having it unseasoned. It would have been fine as is but I tossed it with some mizuna and a dressing seasoned with yuzu-koshou.

[torakris]

I was watching tv a couple nights ago and they said the word ponzu (ポン酢）is actually from the Dutch word pons. The said it translates into English as punch (the drink), I was always curious as to why it was written as half katakana and half kanji it isn't a combination you see very much. Fopr those that don't read Japanese the kanji (Chineses character) is su (zu) meaning vinegar.

[torakris]

I have been on a ponzu kick recently.

Last night was a yasai-itame drizzled with ponzu, yum!!

The day before we had pan seared nama-age (also called atsu-age or deep fried tofu) and shiitake with ponzu and topped with red onion and kaiware (daikon sprouts)

sorry about the blurry picture..

[torakris]

Nothing goes better with ponzu than grated daikon radish.

Here I added some lotus root and pork patties....

I also recently picked up a bage of ponzu flavored potato chips

[Marcia]

Hi All,

I've been reading the Japan thread eagerly and for days I couldn't thinking about anything else than Ponzu (ordinary life, i know...). I just love the little light sour sauce they serve with the veggies here in Taiwan and I'm quite sure is a kind of ponzu.

So I went to this japanese shopping mall (Ta Lee Isetan) and went on my mission to find a Yuzu Ponzu. I wrote down the name as Kristin has posted here (ポン酢）and took it with me. Although I can't read or speak Chinese, I can read a little of Hiragana Japanese and spent hours at the shelves trying to find it.

I came across with this one:

And i could read "Yuzu Pon... something"

Would someone kindly tell me if I bought the right thing?

It tastes great and i'm going to use it a lot, but I just want to make sure it's the proper one.

Thanks in advance.

Marcia

[helenjp]

Yep, yuzu and shoyu ponzu!

[Hiroyuki]

I've never bought that particular product of Yamasa, so I can't comment on how it differs from regular ponzu in taste.

Here's Yamasa's webpage on a variety of ponzu and other products:

http://www.yamasa.com/item/home/k.html#p02

(Japanese only)

Your product is third from the bottom.

I'm familiar with kombu ponzu (fifth from the bottom). I like it 'cause it's milder than regular, sour ponzu.

[Marcia]

Thanks Helen for your quick reply!

Hiroyuki, thanks for the link. I tried it on Pak Choi and it's not so sour but it has a strong aroma of something like concentrated lime zest. It might be very good in fish dishes.

I might try the kombu version too, I think I'm looking for something mild yet tasty with a bit of a kick and the kombu might be the one.

Oh, another question: there was a similar Ponzu in the supermarket with a illustration of a yellow citrus fruit. Is it from a different fruit or is it Yuzu too?

And how does Yuzu Ponzu compares to Aji-Pon?

thanks!

Marcia

[Hiroyuki]

Oh, another question: there was a similar Ponzu in the supermarket with a illustration of a yellow citrus fruit. Is it from a different fruit or is it Yuzu too?

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I guess so since you say it's yellow. As you may know, other citrus fruits such as sudachi, daidai, and kabosu are also used to make ponzu, but they are not yellow.

And how does Yuzu Ponzu compares to Aji-Pon?

Ponzu is a generic name, while Aji-Pon is a product name of Mizkan. It's not that I hate Aji-Pon (I've used it for many years), but because of its rather intense flavor, I now prefer milder kombu ponzu.

[Marcia]

Ok. I've been to the supermarket again and found this cute little guy here:

I thought that it was a kind of Ponzu but now I've checked on Mizkan website and I think it's something else .

Is this another kind of dipping/pouring sauce?

I apologize if this is off-topic.

As you may know, other citrus fruits such as sudachi, daidai, and kabosu are also used to make ponzu, but they are not yellow.

Hiroyuki, I don't know anything about Ponzu ingredients .... I apreciate your explanations, thanks.

Marcia

[Hiroyuki]

Ok. I've been to the supermarket again and found this cute little guy here:

I thought that it was a kind of Ponzu but now I've checked on Mizkan website and I think it's something else  .

Is this another kind of dipping/pouring sauce?

I apologize if this is off-topic.

As you may know, other citrus fruits such as sudachi, daidai, and kabosu are also used to make ponzu, but they are not yellow.

Hiroyuki, I don't know anything about Ponzu ingredients .... I apreciate your explanations, thanks.

Marcia

←

It's a men tsuyu (noodle soup) concentrate. Dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:2. You can use it for other purposes too, like pouring it directly over tofu.

I think there was a link to this webpage in this thread:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzu

Check it out if you haven't.

[Marcia]

  It's a men tsuyu (noodle soup) concentrate.  Dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:2.  You can use it for other purposes too, like pouring it directly over tofu.

OH NOOOO

Oh well, now I know. Noodles on the way, I guess. Thanks Hiroyuki.

Marcia.

PS: Husband just opened the bottle and said he doesn't like it (he has no idea what's inside, but he deslikes konbu. I though if I wouldn't tell him there was konbu he wouldn't notice, but the plan backfired... ).

More disastrous shopping trips soon. I belive that the security cameras in the supermarket might be recording some funny images of a silly woman holding a Hiragana alphabet trying to read the labels... And still buying the wrong product!

[Hiroyuki]

Just to console you, the men tsuyu flavor (soy sauce + mirin + dashi) is the backbone of Japanese cuisine, and if you like Japanese cuisine, you won't regret buying it. Make niku-jaga, for example, with your men tsuyu and have your husband eat it!

[ojisan]

Just to console you, the men tsuyu flavor (soy sauce + mirin + dashi) is the backbone of Japanese cuisine

Several questions -

Is men tsuyu used as a soup broth (kake-jiru) such as for udon, or as a dipping sauce (tsuke-jiru) as for zaru soba?

For ponzu, is the juice of the yuzu used w/ the rind, or only the rind? Yuzu is not available (in California!) so I have no idea how it differs from limes or lemons. I have seen it bottled, but if it's as bad as bottled lemon or lime juice, I don't think I want to buy it (it's also expensive).

For those looking for a ponzu recipe, Shizuo Tsuji's books "Japanese Cooking - A Simple Art" and "Practical Japanese Cooking" are good. They call for lemon or lime juice instead of yuzu.

[Hiroyuki]

Just to console you, the men tsuyu flavor (soy sauce + mirin + dashi) is the backbone of Japanese cuisine

Several questions -

Is men tsuyu used as a soup broth (kake-jiru) such as for udon, or as a dipping sauce (tsuke-jiru) as for zaru soba?

←

Both, and much, much more. Ten tsuyu (tempura dipping sauce), ni zakana (simmered fish), oden, just to name a few. As I implied, men tsuyu concentrate can be used for just about every Japanese dish that calls for soy sauce, mirin, and dashi.

For ponzu, is the juice of the yuzu used w/ the rind, or only the rind?

I don't think yuzu rind is contained in yuzu ponzu.

Yuzu rind is often grated and sprinkled on top of clear soup as a final touch, though.

As for the difference between yuzu and limes, I really cannot answer because I've never had fresh limes. Anyone?

[torakris]

You can't really compare yuzu to lemons and limes to describe the taste, they are all different. Just as lemons and limes have completely different tastes, so does yuzu (and other Japanese citrus as well. If you really want the yuzu taste, there is no substitute, but if all you are after is a generic citrus flavor you could use anything.

Ponzu can be made with any citrus and most commercial products are made with a mix. I have never bought the bottled juices so I can't comment on those, but if you want to make a ponzu at home try different juicesand see what you like best.

[ojisan]

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As for the difference between yuzu and limes, I really cannot answer because I've never had fresh limes.

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You'd think that any citrus would be available in California, especially with it's large nihon population.

So, does this mean that you've never have a _real_ margarita, made with fresh lime juice? Or do you make it w/ yuzu (haha).

[Hiroyuki]

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As for the difference between yuzu and limes, I really cannot answer because I've never had fresh limes.

←

You'd think that any citrus would be available in California, especially with it's large nihon population.

So, does this mean that you've never have a _real_ margarita, made with fresh lime juice? Or do you make it w/ yuzu (haha).

←

Fresh limes were hard to come by when I was younger, probably not now in urban areas, but still are in my rural city.

I use bottled 80% lime juice when I make a mojito-like drink with shochu, hakka (Japanese mint) leaves, and sugar.

Fortunately, my father grows some yuzu plants, so I have made similar drinks several times, using fresh yuzu, and they are just great - quite refreshing!

[Hiroyuki]

Ok. I've been to the supermarket again and found this cute little guy here:

I thought that it was a kind of Ponzu but now I've checked on Mizkan website and I think it's something else  .

Is this another kind of dipping/pouring sauce?

I apologize if this is off-topic.

As you may know, other citrus fruits such as sudachi, daidai, and kabosu are also used to make ponzu, but they are not yellow.

Hiroyuki, I don't know anything about Ponzu ingredients .... I apreciate your explanations, thanks.

Marcia

←

It's a men tsuyu (noodle soup) concentrate. Dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:2. You can use it for other purposes too, like pouring it directly over tofu.

I think there was a link to this webpage in this thread:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzu

Check it out if you haven't.

←

Correction: Dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:1, not 1:2, to make noodle dipping sauce because it's a 2x type.

Sorry for the misinformation.

I like a 3x type like the one below (top right corner) because it's more economical.

The instructions on the bottle say to dilute it with water at a ratio of 1:2-3.

[Bigfoot]

Asahi Ponzu is my favorite, but forget about finding it in Kanto. When my ex from Sakai (south of Osaka) and I moved to Tokyo years back, he was desperate to find Asahi Ponzu and called their factory -- begged them to send him some or tell him where to buy it in Tokyo. They said because it's a limited edition ponzu they only sold it pretty much in southern Osaka (although they did wind up selling us an entire case and shipping it to Tokyo!).

Last year when I went back for a visit I couldn't find it in department stores/etc. in Umeda, but hit the jackpot when I went back to my old neighborhood in Shitennoji. One fun place for tourists to buy it would be the shotengai (little covered shopping street) leading to the Tsutenkaku JUST south of Nipponbashi (Denden Town -- electronics district). All of the little stores around there carry it (slightly seedy, but super interesting). Take the subway there, pop in and get your Asahi Ponzu, then walk north up Nipponbashi towards Nanba. The kitchen/restaurant supply district is between Denden Town and Nanba (just north of the secondhand shops, where you can find cool vintage obi/kimono as well as appliances!). Great way to spend an afternoon -- don't forget to bargain for EVERYTHING in Denden Town! Posted prices are not final there (they'll give you a discount if you can pay in cash).

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..

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Edited January 27, 2007 by Bigfoot (log)

[torakris]

I have scrolled back through the thread and I can't believe I never reported that I did find Asahi ponzu here in Kanto. It was in the basement of one of the Tokyu department stores near my house. While it was good I found it to be stronger than any other ponzu I have ever had, almost to the point of being fizzy. I can't think of any other way to describe it. I prefer the flavor of my yuzu and sudachi ones.

[Hiroyuki]

I have scrolled back through the thread and I can't believe I never reported that I did find Asahi ponzu here in Kanto. It was in the basement of one of the Tokyu department stores near my house. While it was good I found it to be stronger than any other ponzu I have ever had, almost to the point of being fizzy. I can't think of any other way to describe it. I prefer the flavor of my yuzu and sudachi ones.

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I'm glad to hear that!! Now I don't have to envy those who live in Kansai, where it is readily available. I have a feeling that home-made ponzu is much superior to any store-bought one.

[ojisan]

I'm glad to hear that!!  Now I don't have to envy those who live in Kansai, where it is readily available.  I have a feeling that home-made ponzu is much superior to any store-bought one.

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Do you have a favorite recipe for ponzu?