Bakasco Yuzu & Pepper Hotsauce, 60mL
A Tokushima hot sauce of yuzu, persimmon vinegar and chilli: citrus first, heat second.
Bakasco is a pepper sauce from Tokushima on the island of Shikoku. The label reads Yuzu & Kaki Vinegar Pepper Sauce and Awa Hot Sauce, credits Bando Foods and Kawazoe Fruit, and is marked 100% Tokushima. Think of it as a pourable cousin of yuzu kosho: sharp, citrus-led and hot, in a 60ml glass bottle that shakes out a few drops at a time.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Yuzu-led: the citrus aroma lands first, before the chilli builds.
- Kaki vinegar: persimmon vinegar gives the acidity, a Japanese turn on the vinegar base of a classic pepper sauce.
- 100% Tokushima: a collaboration between Bando Foods and Kawazoe Fruit, according to the label.
- Drop by drop: a small shaker bottle for finishing, not drowning.
How to Use
- Ramen and noodles: a few drops into tonkotsu or miso ramen, or over cold soba.
- Grilled fish and yakitori: use it where you would reach for yuzu kosho.
- Gyoza dip: add to soy sauce and rice vinegar for a citrus-hot dipping sauce.
- Cross-cuisine: on oysters, fried chicken, eggs or in a Bloody Mary.
Yuzu (柚子) is the fragrant Japanese citrus, used far more for its peel and juice than its flesh. The classic way to pair it with heat is yuzu kosho (柚子胡椒), a salted paste of yuzu peel and chilli from Kyushu; kosho there means chilli, not black pepper. Kaki (柿) is the persimmon, and Japan also makes vinegar from it, kakisu (柿酢). Awa (阿波) is the old provincial name for Tokushima, so Awa Hot Sauce on the label is a plain statement of where it comes from.
Learn more: What is Yuzu?
Pairs with: Tosa green yuzu kosho, Kanzuri snow-aged chilli paste and Oyama yuzu kosho hot sauce.
What does yuzu hot sauce taste like?
Bright and sour first: a lifted yuzu aroma and a sharp, fruity acidity from the vinegar. The chilli follows, building rather than hitting all at once, and it fades clean, leaving the citrus behind. It is thin and pourable, closer to a Tabasco-style pepper sauce than to the thick paste of yuzu kosho, so it disperses easily through broth, dressings and dipping sauces. Start with a few drops and build from there.
Product Details
| Type | Yuzu pepper sauce (yuzu and kaki vinegar hot sauce) |
| Brand | Bakasco, by Bando Foods with Kawazoe Fruit |
| Origin | Tokushima Prefecture, Japan |
| Volume and Format | 60ml glass bottle, boxed |
| Best Used As | A finishing hot sauce for ramen, grilled fish, gyoza and oysters |
Is this the same as yuzu kosho?
No, though they are close relatives. Yuzu kosho is a thick, salty paste of yuzu peel and chilli, used in small dabs. Bakasco is a thin, pourable pepper sauce built on yuzu, persimmon vinegar and chilli, so it has more acidity and spreads through a dish more easily. Use yuzu kosho where you want a concentrated hit on a single bite; use Bakasco to season a whole bowl or a dipping sauce.
How hot is it?
It is a genuine hot sauce, but the citrus and vinegar lead and the chilli follows, so it reads as bright before it reads as hot. Heat tolerance varies, so start with two or three drops on a bowl of ramen or a plate of gyoza and add more once you know where you stand.
How should I store it after opening?
Close the cap firmly and keep the bottle in the fridge once opened to protect the fresh yuzu aroma. Unopened, store it somewhere cool and dark. Shake before use, as natural settling is normal in a citrus sauce. Follow the best-before date on the pack.
SKU : S0275