This is a great sauce for dipping into with your Tare Tofu spring rolls and pretty much anything Asian-inspired! I find that it is a wee bit reminiscent of yeast extract spread (such as Marmite) when using yuzu kosho, a Japanese fermented paste made of yuzu fruit, chiles and salt. Yuzu kosho can be a little hard to locate, so feel free to use lime juice if unavailable. It won’t be quite the same, but it will be great too. —CS
MAKES 1 CUP (235 ML)
½ cup (120 ml) tamari
3 tbsp (45 ml) mirin
3” x 2” (8 x 5-cm) piece of kombu, briefly rinsed
2 large dried shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ large juicy orange)
1 tsp (5 g) red yuzu kosho or 2 tbsp (30 ml) lime juice
Place the tamari, mirin, kombu and shiitake in a small saucepan. Bring to a quick boil, turn off the heat and soak for 20 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth to catch any impurities. Briefly rinse the shiitake, if desired, and reserve for other recipes. Discard the kombu.
Add the orange juice and yuzu (or lime juice), and whisk to combine. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before using to allow the flavors to meld. The sauce will keep for about a month if stored properly.