Shio Ponzu Sauce
Shio Ponzu (塩ポン酢) is a subtler-tasting, but no less satisfying version of Ponzu Sauce, the wonder sauce that transforms just about any food and dish with its irresistible combination of sweet, salty, sour, umami-richness. Unlike classic Ponzu Sauce, Shio Ponzu doesn’t include soy sauce, and instead gets its saltiness directly from sea salt (shio). In addition, its dashi base is only konbu dashi rather than konbu-katsuo dashi. These tweaks make Shio Ponzu vegetarian and gluten-free.
Shio Ponzu’s mild, subtle flavor is a good match for the Setouchi’s delicate seafoods and light style of cooking and also for any other fresh ingredient-oriented cuisine. A very versatile master sauce, Shio Ponzu can be used straight-up, diluted with more dashi or water to create simple broths or with more citrus juice to make dressings, and blended with oils and other seasonings to serve a wide range of purposes. The recipe uses lemon juice because its flavor suits Shio Ponzu’s role as an all-in-one, all-purpose sauce. But any citrus can be used.
Shio Ponzu Sauce
Shio Ponzu : 塩ポン酢
Makes about 2 1/2 cups (600 ml)
Seasonings
Konbu (Dried Kelp), 2 1/2” piece (5 cm)
Sake, 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Mirin, 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Moshio Seaweed Salt or Sea Salt, 2 tablespoons
Lemon Juice, 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Directions
Put the konbu in a saucepan filled with 1 cup (240 ml) of water and let it soak for at least 30 minutes and up to a few hours. Turn the heat on to medium-low and gently bring to a simmer. As soon as rapid bubbles form, take the konbu out. It should be soft. Save it for another use or discard it.
Add the sake, mirin, and salt to the saucepan, bring to a boil for 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol and dissolve the salt.
Turn off the heat. Once it has cooled, add the lemon juice, mix, and strain into a sealable container. Store in the refrigerator and let its flavors meld for a day before using. Shio Ponzu will keep refrigerated for about a week.
Use
Shio Ponzu can be used for anything. As a marinade for seafoods and meats with more splashed on when cooking and then again when serving. Splash it on blanched, steamed, and roasted vegetables. Add it to stocks, soups, chowders, and stir-fries to give them a brighter, deeper, and more balanced taste. Dilute it with more dashi, other kinds of stock, or water to make a light stock or serve it “as is” in small bowls as a dipping sauce for any kind of seafood and also tender meats like chicken, pork, and wagyu beef. Shio Ponzu can also be used as a dressing for salads when it can be mixed with oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, and herbs and spices depending on your desire. Adding some citrus peel will enhance Shio Ponzu’s zest, but this should only be done just before using, otherwise the sauce will become bitter.