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Yujacheong
유자청: thin-sliced yuja citron layered with sugar into a fragrant marmalade-syrup, stirred into hot water as winter tea
When the first frost comes to Goheung in South Jeolla and Namhae island in November, the yuja orchards turn gold, and households slice the knobbly, deeply perfumed fruit into sugar to make yujacheong. Through the winter, a few spoonfuls in a mug of hot water make yuja-cha, the tea Koreans reach for on cold evenings and when they feel a cold coming on; it is also spooned over yoghurt, toast or into salad dressings. It tastes floral, sharp and sweet, with tender strips of peel and a thick golden syrup. The sugar is what preserves it: equal weights of fruit and sugar, kept in the fridge once the sugar dissolves. The common mistake is leaving it warm too long: after a day or two on the counter it can start to ferment and fizz, so move it to the fridge as soon as the sugar has mostly melted. It is ready after about a week, when the peel is translucent and the syrup thick. No yuja? Use Meyer lemons, or two lemons for every mandarin. Bubbles or a boozy smell mean it has started to ferment: refrigerate it at once; mould means throw it away. Chef's tip: scrub the skins with baking soda first; you are eating the whole peel, so it must be spotless.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb yuja (yuzu)about 8–10 fruit; or Meyer lemons, or lemons with mandarins
- 2 tbsp baking sodafor scrubbing
- 2 ¼ lb sugarthe same weight as the fruit
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Clean the jar or container and lid: wash in hot soapy water, rinse, then dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes (or pour boiling water over and in it and air-dry upside down). Let it cool; it must be completely dry. You need two 1 litre jars.
Step 2: Rub the 2 ¼ lb yuja (yuzu) all over with 2 tbsp baking soda, leave 5 minutes, then scrub and rinse under hot water. Dry completely with a cloth; any water left on the fruit can let mould grow.
10 minStep 3: Halve the fruit across, squeeze the juice through a sieve into a large bowl, and pull out and discard the seeds and tough central pith.
10 minStep 4: Slice the peel and remaining flesh into thin strips, about 2 mm wide, and add to the juice.
15 minStep 5: Set aside about 100 g of the 2 ¼ lb sugar. Mix the rest with the fruit until evenly coated. Pack into the clean jars and pour the reserved sugar on top in a thick layer to seal the surface.
5 minStep 6: Close the jars and leave at room temperature for 1–2 days, tipping them gently once or twice a day, until the sugar has mostly dissolved into a cloudy syrup.
Step 7: Refrigerate. It is ready to use after 1 week, when the peel looks translucent and the syrup is thick; keeps up to 1 year in the fridge. Use a clean, dry spoon. Stir 2–3 tbsp into 200 ml hot (not boiling) water for yuja-cha.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 175 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yujacheong take?
- About 40 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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