flavor | Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants)

“….tart, tangy, and umami-rich flavor…. Traditionally made with a base of rice vinegar, bonito broth, rice wine, and some manner of citrus juice, Ponzu is a pitch-perfect sauce for seasoning fish for poke and sashimi, but that’s hardly where we’d stop. Made for us by an expert supplier in Japan, Trader Joe’s Ponzu Sauce can add an element of sweetness, savoriness, and richness to all sorts of dishes, from the simplest of rice bowls to the most complex of marinades.” – TJ website

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/ponzu-sauce-062527

NEW ITEM – PRODUCT OF JAPAN

Ponzu is a classic, traditional Japanese sauce which gives umami flavor to things and is usually made with soy sauce plus yuzu citrus. This version is a soy sauce (shoyu ponzu).

Here’s just one idea to make a super easy summer dish. Take a piece of the very good organic SILKEN TOFU, and pour on ponzu sauce. Done. If you want, add chopped scallions, maybe sesame seeds. That’s just one example of how I use this ponzu sauce.

Trader Joe’s version of ponzu is quite tasty. Savory with citrus-y notes and a little sweetness. Even my (Japanese) wife gave this ponzu a thumbs up.

You can use it as a marinade for chicken or fish, then glaze it on at the end and serve on the size as a dipping sauce too. I have found this a very useful item to have in the fridge.

Ingredients include: soy sauce, rice vinegar, dashi (bonito broth, kombu), sugar, yuzu….

“….for pretty much any savory application in the kitchen, and especially so for making flavorful salad dressings, dipping with tempura, pan-fried gyoza, and other crispy appetizers, or mixing into burger patties for an extra bonito-powered boost of umami.”

Great for a dumpling dipping sauce too. If you want spicy mix in some chili crisp.

If you want even more citrus flavor (I do) just add a squeeze of lemon juice.

Asian style salad dressing Mix some ponzu with a little lemon juice and tahini.

Trader Joe’s PONZU SAUCE $3.99 (12 oz)

Trader Joe’s WHITE MISO PASTE

“With a lighter sweeter flavor than other miso pastes, this tasty miso offers nutty, sweet umami to any dish” – TJ

This is very nice white miso paste which is not quite as thick or strong or salty as many Japanese miso’s pastes in tubs are. This one is lighter and not as thick so its a bit easier to use just as is out of the package.

The squeezable pouch make is very easy to squeeze out as little or as much as you need.

This light white miso adds really delicious flavor.

This is a light white miso and I really like this to cook fish or chicken or what have you, usually spread this on and then broil it so it gets a little bit of a char. I used it recently to make some broiled salmon and another time with some mahi mahi and it worked great with both of these fishes. But you could use it on chicken of course as well.

MISO COATED SALMON (or any fish) Coat the fish with a layer of this white miso, then let it marinate it for about 30 minutes or more. Broil (or bake) the fish as usual but keep a close eye on it as the miso will brown and you want it a little browned but not burnt of course. When your dish looks golden brown, remove and let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

Optional: Mix up a bit more of the miso with a little honey and lemon juice to make a light glaze. During the last minute or so of cooking, take out the fish or chicken or tofu your are baking or broiling under the grill. Spread on the miso paste glaze, put it back in and let it cook for 30-60 seconds until the glaze looks perfectly browned. Option: You can also serve some of this miso glaze mix as a sauce alongside your protein.

In addition to fish I find the miso marinade works just as well using chicken and broiling it. It can also be used in soups, as well as in salad dressings, add to ramen or noodles, etc. A little miso added to some butter is great with veggies and other things. I bet it works well even with TOFU.

TJ’s White Miso comes in a handy squeeze pouch. I find this very convenient and easy to work with, to be able to squeeze out some quickly, and its much more convenient compared to the 1 lb tubs of miso I usually buy from a Japanese market. Frankly I usually find one of those tubs somewhere at the back of my fridge a long time after I bought it and maybe it expired six months back (but honestly Japanese miso is so salty it doesn’t really go bad, it can last a year easily)

Trader Joe’s Miso Paste is $2.99 (5.3 oz)

I would buy this again.

“Trader Joe’s White Miso Paste is made of fermented rice and soybeans, and like many fantastic, fermented foods, it has a complex flavor—a mix of savory, salty, and umami. Our supplier is a 5th generation miso maker in Japan. Their process involves a shorter-than-standard fermentation period to yield a delicate, umami flavor, making this a very versatile Miso. Most commonly used in savory preparations, White Miso adds depth to soups, sauces, and dressings. You can use it in marinades for meats, fish, and tofu, or as a dip”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/white-miso-paste-073814