Kabosu
Citrus sphaerocarpa · Citrus
Top 10 pairings
Kabosu (Citrus sphaerocarpa) is a round, deep-green Japanese citrus picked while still unripe and valued almost entirely for its mild, fragrant, sour juice rather than its flesh. A speciality of Ōita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, it is squeezed over grilled fish, fugu, hot-pot dishes and sashimi, stirred into ponzu and dressings, and splashed into shōchū — bringing a softer, rounder, less aggressive acidity than lemon or lime, with a gentle floral-citrus perfume.
Picking a good onedrag
Deep green, heavy, oil-tightYellow, light, shrivelled
Shop greenEveryday bestThe all-rounder: ponzu, dressings, hot-pot, shōchū.
RindGreen, a yellow cast at the blossom end
Weight in handHeavy, the rind gives a little under the thumb
Stem endCalyx paling, still tight to the fruit
Scratched peelScent comes when a thumb is rubbed warm over it
What you get from one
100 g
Weight each
each one
Keeping ittap a temperature
A domestic fridge holds it about 3× longer than the counter.
90–95%
Humidity
Loose bag, not sealed
Airflow