Kanzuri fermented chili paste

Kanzuri is a fermented chili paste made exclusively by the Tōjō family in Myōkō, a city in Niigata Prefecture that receives up to fifteen metres of snow per year. The name was trademarked in 1966, but the condiment has much older roots as a household staple of the Jōetsu region. The particular chili cultivar used, known as S-30, is locally grown and about three times larger than a standard tōgarashi. The only other ingredients are yuzu peel, rice koji, and sea salt, with no additives or preservatives. What defines Kanzuri more than anything is the step called yukisarashi. On the coldest day of the year in January, the salt-pickled chilies are spread across fresh snow and left to rest for three to four days. The snow draws out excess salt and bitterness, mellowing the heat and coaxing out a natural sweetness. After that the chilies are ground with yuzu and koji and left to ferment in barrels for a minimum of three years, stirred annually and carefully monitored through each season. The result is a paste with a rounded, complex heat, bright citrus, and deep umami, closer to a well-aged condiment than a hot sauce. It works as a dipping sauce for sashimi or hot pot, as a seasoning stirred into ramen or miso soup, or simply alongside grilled meat or fish.