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Yubeshi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Tokushima Prefecture

    Yubeshi

Yubeshi

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  • Yubeshi
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    Image Source : Kumiko Nagao, Junior College of Tokushima Bunri University

  • Main lore areas

    Nakacho (upstream of Naka River), Katsuura District, Kamikatsu

  • Main ingredients used

    Yuzu

  • History/origin/related events

    Yuzu production is particularly active in Nakacho, Tokushima. The town is particularly suited for yuzu cultivation due to its abundant precipitation and the large temperature difference between daytime and nighttime, and boasts the second largest production of "Kitou Yuzu" in Japan (Tokushima Agricultural Support Center, "Kitou Yuzu" production area initiative). In addition, “Kitou yuzu” is relatively large, beautifully colored, and of high quality. It is a well-known agricultural product throughout Japan, having been registered under the country's Geographical Indications (GI) protection system (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Registration Public Notice, Registration No. 42).
    Yuzu is also used in a variety of dishes, including "Yubeshi", a preserved food popular in the prefecture, which is made by boiling down the peel of yuzu with sugar and soy sauce. It is not only eaten as a side dish on its own, but also enjoyed as a snack with sake or as an ingredient in ochazuke (=boiled rice in soup). Outside of the prefecture, it is still sold in Kyoto and Ehime as a famous confectionary from the Edo period, but yubeshi, which has taken root in the Aioi district of Nakacho in Tokushima, is only a side food. "Yubeshi" is made around November, when the yuzu trees are fully ripe, by slowly boiling them down over a long period of time. In addition, it is said to have been eaten in Kamikatsu in the 30th of the Showa period, when sugar became widely used in households, and was even more widely produced in the 50th of the Showa period.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    It is customary to make "Yubeshi" with aromatic yuzu around November, when the yuzu trees are fully ripe. It is also customary to eat them with dried sweetfish. After yuzu was harvested and the juice was pressed, it was commonly used to make "Yubeshi" directly or dried for preservation. They used to make it from fall to spring when there were not enough side dishes, and used it as a side dish. However, in the days when sugar was scarce, it was not frequently made because it contained too much sugar.

  • How to eat

    Chop yuzu peel finely and cook down with sugar and soy sauce for a sweet and spicy flavor. The peels are sometimes dried in the sun first to preserve them, then blanched and boiled. When boiling down, fill the pot with plenty of water and bring to a boil starting with the water. Repeat the process of changing the water when it comes to a boil. The key is to add seasonings and boil it down thoroughly until it becomes sticky.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)
    It is commonly made at home. In addition, "Tokushima's Local Cuisine," a resource provided by Tokushima Prefecture, introduces the origins of "Yubeshi" and how it is made. The Area is making every effort to make the local cuisine known throughout Japan.

RECIPE

Ingredients (4 servings)

  • Dried Yuzu peel 50g
  • White sugar 70g
  • Dark soy sauce 45g
  • Mirin (=sweet rice wine) 20g
  • Dashi no Moto (Dashi (=Japanese soup stock)) 1g
  • Water 200ml
  • Chili pepper (to taste) As needed

How to cook

  • 1. Soak dried yuzu peels in water and blanch.

  • 2. Put [1] in a pot and boil from water, changing water when it boils. Repeat about 3 times to remove bitterness.

  • 3. Add seasonings (sugar, soy sauce, mirin, Dashi no Moto) and water to [2] and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pectin becomes sticky (adjust seasonings to taste. (For example, if you prefer sweet or thick)).

provider : Kumiko Nagao, Junior College of Tokushima Bunri University

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

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