Fruit
Dried SudachiDrying Time, Storage, and Adding Aroma to Dishes
Sudachi is a small, tart green citrus, grown mainly in Tokushima Prefecture, used in Japan the way lemon or lime is used elsewhere. Outside Japan it’s hard to find; the same method works for limes or other small citrus.
Its season is short, from about August to October. Slice it thin and dry it, and you’ll have it on hand to add aroma to dishes long after. Added to clear soups, simmered dishes or soups, it gives off an elegant fragrance.
| Drying time | Storage | |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | 2–4 days | 4 months at room temperature |
Drying times assume drying during the day in sunny weather and bringing them in at night.
How to dry sudachi
- Wash: You’ll use the peel too, so wash it well and pat dry.
- Slice thinly: Trim both ends and slice into rounds about 2 mm (1/16 in) thick. Pick out the seeds with a skewer.
- Lay out and dry: Spread on a basket without overlapping, somewhere sunny and breezy. Turn once or twice a day and bring in by evening.
Where and when to dry is covered in How to Dry Vegetables, and tools in Tools for Drying Vegetables.
When it’s done
Dry (2–4 days)
It’s done when the green peel has turned yellowish, the flesh is thin and translucent, and the slices snap.
Day by day
Before drying
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Storage
- Room temperature: Put completely crisp slices in a jar or bag with a desiccant, and keep somewhere cool and out of direct sun for about 4 months.
The aroma fades over time, so for the best flavor, use it within 2–3 months. If it softens from moisture, dry it again. More in How to Store Dried Vegetables.
How to use it
- In soups: Float a slice or two in clear soup or somen dipping sauce.
- In simmered dishes and hot pot: Add at the end for an elegant aroma.
- In drinks: Float in shochu with hot water, sparkling water or green tea.
- Crushed as a seasoning: Crush crisp slices by hand and mix into salt for grilled fish or tempura, for sudachi salt.
