Yuzu

Yuzu is an intensely fragrant citrus fruit (Citrus × junos, family Rutaceae), a hybrid of the Ichang papeda and a mandarin that reached Japan from China more than a thousand years ago. Too tart and seedy to eat out of hand, it is prized for its rind and juice that give off an aroma of lemon, mandarin, and grapefruit with a floral air. Its zest holds that fragrance even under high heat. In the Japanese kitchen, a few curls of peel or a squeeze of juice brightens clear soups, sashimi, and grilled fish, as well as ponzu sauce and the chili paste yuzu kosho.