Before You Start: Please note that this recipe requires a steeping time of overnight (minimum) or up to a week.

Gather all the ingredients.

In a sterilized mason jar, combine all the ingredients: ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup citrus juice, zest from one lemon, 2 Tbsp mirin, ½ cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), and 1 piece kombu (dried kelp). Mix well. Tip: Use a combination of citrus juices that you like. I used 6 Tbsp lemon juice and 2 Tbsp orange juice for single batch.

Steep in the refrigerator overnight (minimum), for several days, or for up to a week. Some restaurants steep it for a month, especially if they make a big batch.

After steeping, drain the mixture in a sieve to strain out the katsuobushi and kombu. You can use leftover the kombu and katsuobushi to make Homemade Furikake (Japanese rice seasoning). Transfer the Ponzu to a jar with a tight-fitting lid. It‘s now ready to use.

Ponzu is one of the classic dipping sauces for Shabu Shabu hot pot. You can also use ponzu to make refreshing sauces for dishes like Tuna Tataki, Pork Spring Rolls, Pan-Fried Eggplant, or Grilled Oysters. It‘s delicious on salads as well, like my Tofu Salad with Sesame Ponzu Dressing.

You can keep the homemade ponzu in the mason jar for up to 1 month (to be safe); however, if you substitute the mirin with water and sugar, please use it within a week. When you use the ponzu, make sure to use clean utensils to avoid cross-contamination. The sauce will keep 6 to 12 months if you sanitize and keep everything clean while making the ponzu.