Citrus-bright soy dipping sauce deepened with kombu and bonito — bottled ponzu's fresher, livelier original. Improves for a week in the fridge.
60 ml
🍋 Lemon ›
juice (or yuzu if you can find it)
Mise en place
Before you start
Yield: About 250 ml
Prep checklist
Lemon — juice (or yuzu if you can find it)
Warm the mirin 60 seconds to soften its alcohol. Combine everything in a jar.
Refrigerate at least 24 hours — the kombu and bonito steep umami into the citrus-soy. Strain and it's ready; a week in, it's better.
💡
This is cold-brewing dashi inside a sauce. Patience is the only technique.
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Airtight jar in the fridge, 3–5 days. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of starch-thickened sauces to stop a skin forming.
Freezing
Most sauces freeze 2–3 months; freeze in ice-cube trays for single portions. Emulsified butter/egg sauces don't freeze — they break on thawing.
Reheating
Reheat gently over low heat, whisking; butter- and egg-based sauces split when boiled. Loosen with a spoonful of warm water or stock.
Make ahead
Most sauces keep 3–5 days refrigerated and freeze in ice-cube trays for instant single portions. Emulsified butter sauces are best made within the hour.
Wine pairing
Follows the dish it dresses.
Beer pairing
Follows the dish it dresses.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
·
Dipping sauce for dumplings and shabu-shabu
·
Over seared tuna or cold tofu
·
A vinaigrette base that outclasses most vinaigrettes
Garnish
A final swirl of butter or oil
Keep exploring
Related recipes
French Onion Soup
French · Dinner
Weeknight Coq au Vin
French · Dinner
Midnight Chocolate Pots
French · Dessert