Yuzu (Japanese Citrus)

Is this edible?

Yes! Yuzu is a prized citrus fruit used across Korean and Japanese cuisine, valued for its extraordinarily fragrant zest and juice. It is used as a flavoring agent rather than eaten as a whole fruit.

What does it taste like?

Imagine a combination of lemon, mandarin orange, and grapefruit with an intensely floral, aromatic quality that is more complex than any single Western citrus. The fragrance is the star — it perfumes everything it touches.

Where to buy

Korean grocery stores sell yuzu-cha (yuzu marmalade/tea) year-round — this is the easiest way to use yuzu. Fresh yuzu is rare and seasonal (winter). Bottled yuzu juice is available at Korean, Japanese, and specialty stores. Yuzu kosho (paste) is at Japanese stores.

How to prepare

For yuzu-cha: spoon the marmalade into hot water for tea, or use it as a glaze or flavoring. For fresh yuzu: zest with a microplane, then juice. A little yuzu zest goes a very long way.