I first tasted yuzu kosho at a sushi restaurant. I’d heard of it, just like everybody who’s interested in food, because it was a definite trend a few years back. At least that’s when I discovered it. And it was good!
Yuzu is an Asian citrus fruit, slightly larger than a mandarin orange, shown on the right. (Thanks, Wikipedia.)
Yuzu kosho is made from yuzu juice and zest, plus chiles, either red or green chile peppers, and salt. It is then fermented. The green is spicier than the red.
I’ve seen recipes for just about everything using yuzu kosho, from dressings to dips to marinades to flavored potato chips. In this recipe, green yuzu kosho turns ranch dressing into something completely different, with some heat and zing! I used a recipe by Shilpa Uskokovic from the Food 52 website.
To serve the dressing, I made a salad with garden-fresh tomatoes. It was a fabulous combination. It would work great on a wedge of iceberg lettuce as well.
If you want more information, check out this article about yuzu kosho on the Bon Appetit website.
Yuzu Kosho Ranch Dressing
3/4 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons green yuzu kosho
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill (leaves and tender stems)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (leaves and tender stems)
Kosher salt, to taste
Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of cold water, yuzu kosho, lemon zest, and garlic powder in a small bowl until smooth.
Add the chopped herbs. Season to taste with salt.
You can add up to 2 tablespoons of additional water, if needed, to get the dressing to your desired consistency. This dressing will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
I think I will continue to make this version of ranch dressing! It’s really really good! At first you taste the lemon and then pow! There are the chile peppers! It’s like an herby aioli on crack!
This would be incredible with grilled lamb and also salmon. Actually, it would be good as a substitute for tzatziki or a tahini dressing.
