Spicy, citrusy and salty – this condiment is great with grilled chicken and fish. It’s traditionally made with yuzu, an exotic Asian citrus fruit that has a unique flavor profile. But this day I had a bunch of lemons, and when life gives you lemons…

Lemon kosho is a variation on the Japanese condiment Yuzu Kosho, substituting the citrus component ( lemon for yuzu ). Yuzu Kosho translates to “Yuzu-Pepper”, and that is what we’re making here, a mash of chilies, citrus zest and kosher salt with just enough juice to make a paste.   The proportions I used were by weight: 70% chilies, 30% lemon zest, 10% kosher salt. Weighing everything in a small kitchen scale helped me, but these are guidelines, not absolutes.

I used birds-eye or Thai chilies because I like the heat. They have a clear, bright spiciness that pairs nicely with citrus. You could try jalapeños or Serrano peppers if you have a tough time getting Thai chilies, but I think they add some flavors that don’t fit that well.

Split and de seed the peppers – you only want the flesh. Leaving in more of the rib material will leave in more of the heat. Use caution when working with peppers, the heat will stay on your skin even after you wash your hands with soap – so don’t rub your eyes while working, or use gloves to protect yourself. It will wear off in time…

You can use a microplane to rasp off the zest, but I took the faster route and sliced off the zest as if I were making twists for martinis.

I used a food processor to combine everything, first the strips of lemon zest, then the chilies, then the kosher salt. I added lemon juice while pulsing the mixture until everything blended into a paste. Not too different from making hummus in some ways.

I made two versions this time – one with red Thai chilies and one with green Serrano chilies. I like the version with Thai chilies better, but it’s spicier for sure.

The condiments ready for use. I served the lemon kosho alongside the chicken after it came off the grill. I wouldn’t pair it with the sausages myself, but maybe it could work? Enjoy!