Sanbokan Jelly Bowl
Seasonal fresh fruit is the typical dessert at the end of a Japanese meal. But that doesn’t mean a little culinary artifice can’t be involved, and citrus jelly made from fresh fruit served in the fruit’s shell is a popular way to create an idealized citrus dessert in the Setouchi region. One that is more balanced in terms of its sour-sweet flavor, suffused with its zesty scent, and easier to eat than many natural citrus. It’s also a delightful way to present the dish.
Sanbokan is particularly well-suited for this preparation. Its exquisite scent and taste are contained in both the skin and flesh; its dense, seed-filled pulp can be challenging to eat ‘as is’; and it has an attractive ornamental shape.
Kanten (寒天 or カンテン), known as agar in English, is used to make the jelly. It’s a gelling agent made from tengusa seaweed, which is found throughout the Seto Inland Sea. Kanten creates a very firm jelly, enabling you to cut the reconstructed sanbokan into pieces, thus simulating the sense of eating fresh fruit while releasing the skin’s fragrance as you enjoy it. Kanten also provides the benefit of being vegan/vegetarian, unlike gelatin, which is made from animal collagen.
Sanbokan Jelly Bowl
Sanbokan Jerri Boru : 三宝柑ゼリーボウル
Serves 2
Main Foods
Sanbokan, 2, together they’ll produce about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of juice
Seasonings
Water, about 1/2 cup (120 ml) — See Directions
Kanten Powder (粉寒天 or 粉カンテン), 1 teaspoon (2 g)
Runny Honey, 2 tablespoons, to taste
Directions
Cut off the top quarter of each sanbokan, cover them with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use as decorative lids.
Remove the pulp and juice from the sanbokans with a spoon, placing both in a fine-mesh strainer or colander set over a bowl. Be careful to not pierce the outer skin. The bottom of the fruit, where the pulp is the most firmly attached to the skin, is the most sensitive, so pay extra attention here, cutting out the last bits of stringy pulp with scissors if necessary. It’s good to work on a bowl or plate while doing this to collect the juice that tends to spill out. Press down firmly on the pulp in the strainer or colander to squeeze out the juice. You should have about 1/2 cup (120 ml). Measure the juice as that will determine how much water you’ll need in the next step. You need a total of 1 cup (240 ml) of liquid to make the jelly.
Pour 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water, or a bit more or less depending on how much juice you have, into a small saucepan and add the kanten powder, stirring to mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat, add the honey, and gently simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the sanbokan juice, and mix well. Taste and add more honey if desired.
Pour the liquid into the sanbokan shells while still hot as this will infuse the jelly with more of the scent of the skin. Once they’ve cooled down, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. They’re ready when the jelly has set and is well chilled, about 3-4 hours. The jelly will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serve
Place the sanbokan lids slightly ajar on top of the jelly bowls and serve the fruit on small dishes. If you have a little leftover juice, drizzle that on top of the jelly. Or, first cut each jelly into pieces and place the lids alongside them. Don’t hesitate to accompany with other pieces of fresh fruit, like strawberries which are in season in Japan at the same time.
Variations
You can make this recipe with pretty much any kind of citrus, although fruit with an ample size, thick skin, and sour juice are best. These include grapefruit, Seville oranges, and other kinds of bitter oranges like Japan’s daidai and amanastu. All you need to vary is how you cut the shell and the amount of honey used. For example, one grapefruit can be cut in half (and serve two people) and will produce enough juice (about 1/2 cup or 120 ml) to make the recipe. But use about double the amount of honey; again, to taste.
Add bits of pulp to the jelly, mixing it into the juice before you measure that.
If you prefer a more wobbly jelly, use half the amount of kanten—1/2 teaspoon (1 g). The jelly bowl should still be sliceable.
Substitutions
Sweetener: Use another kind of sweetener, instead of honey. If using sugar, chose a quick dissolving one like Japan’s johaku-to (a soft invert sugar), caster sugar, or raw sugar.
Gelling Agent: To use powdered gelatin, instead of kanten, increase the amount to 2 teaspoons (4 g) gelatin and follow its instructions. No matter which gelling method you choose, make sure you add the citrus juice last, off-heat. Cooking it will diminish its delicate flavor.