Don’t these delicious morsels deserve the real thing? Photo by Lotus Head.
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CAITLIN BARRETT is a member of THE NIBBLE™ editorial staff, and she rejects all forms of wasabi wannabe.
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October 2005
Updated March 2007
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Real Wasabi Q & A
For Palates That Know The Difference
It came as a shock to us that bright green mound decorating our sushi trays wasn’t wasabi at all. The truth wasn’t thrilling:
horseradish, mustard, corn starch and food coloring. Not an exotic condiment, just another fabricated foodstuff foisted on the American public. Now you know why waiters at Japanese restaurants often refer to it as “mustard” or “horseradish.”
“So where do we get the real thing?” we asked. For a long time the answer was “Japan,” and a handful of very pricey restaurants that grate their own from fresh wasabi root (see illustration below). But now, thanks to the pioneering efforts of wasabi-loving American Doug Lambrecht, you can buy as much Real Wasabi as you want—and bring it with you to the sushi bar. Before we tell you about it, we’ll share some of the questions we had when we first made discovery of condiment deception.
- Q. Why have my favorite sushi bars been serving me fake wasabi?
A.
The truth is that real wasabi (scientific name Wasabia japonica) is very expensive. It’s tricky to grow. There are few successful producers worldwide, making it expensive and hard to get. An error in translation decades ago led people to believe that the Japanese wasabi was essentially the same thing as common horseradish (a cousin, Amoracia rusticana), and sushi bars serve their “wasabi wannabe paste” as because it mimics the experience of wasabi.
- Q. Then what is wasabi?
A.
The Wasabia Japonica plant has grown wild for millennia, but was first cultivated centuries ago in a remote Japanese mountain village. It can take three years to reach maturity, and during that time, changes in temperature, light, soil conditions or handling can disrupt its growing process—unlike the much heartier and faster-growing horseradish. Wasabi has been grown successfully in northern Japan, parts of China, Taiwan, Korea and New Zealand. In North America, parts of the Oregon Coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee have successfully grown wasabi on a commercial level.
- Q. I’ve been eating the fake green stuff for years, and I like it. Why should I care?
A.
We like “wasabi wannabe” too, but after trying real wasabi, you won’t be able to switch back. You don’t even need to take our word for it: Real wasabi has a great number of reported health benefits. It contains antioxidants and has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-carcinogenic properties. It also aids digestion. Most importantly, it tastes really good.
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Real wasabi root, above. You can see its resemblance to its cousin, the common horseradish root. |
This canister contains the real deal: authentic mountain-grown wasabi sold
by RealWasabi.com. |
- Q. OK, I want to try the real thing, but not if it’s so rare and expensive.
A. Not too long ago, you would have been correct. Even tubes at Asian supermarkets are often the imitation product—the fresh wasabi rhizome (root) sells for about $8 (compare that to a regular horseradish root and you’ll understand why you’ve been getting the imitation stuff). Real Wasabi™ has changed all that: Their canisters of pure ground wasabia japonica put authentic wasabi in the palm of your hand...for less than $6.00.
- Q. How is Wasabia japonica different from “Wasabi wannabe?”
When grated fresh, real wasabi is bright green, like the imitation
product; when mixed from the powder with water to form a paste, it is a subtle brown-green color and the aromas that develop are spicy and complex. The real difference, however, is in the flavor. The Real Wasabi™ company’s slogan of “Fiery Taste, Smooth Finish™” is most certainly apt. Rather than burning your tongue like a chili pepper or causing you to tear up like horseradish, Real Wasabi™ produces a pleasant vapor at the back of the throat that stimulates the sinuses and gives us a warm, tingly sensation that travels down out spine. It is spicy, but before you can reach your water glass, the burn is replaced by an enjoyable mellow sweetness.
- Q. How can I use wasabi beyond the sushi and sashimi?
A. The Japanese enjoy it as a condiment with noodles, but you can try it in as many types of dishes* as your imagination takes you. Real Wasabi™ adds an invigorating new dimension of flavor to any dish. We make wasabi butter and wasabi mayonnaise, and are working on a wasabi shortbread. You can even blend it into ice cream (see the recipes on RealWasabi.com, and some wasabi recipes on TheNibble.com.). However you use it, your taste buds will thank you. Consider these everyday applications:
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- Sauces and Dressings: Real Wasabi’s unique flavor will zing up a salad, marinade or sauce. A simple approach is to blend one part wasabi paste with ten parts of your favorite dressing.
- Meats: As a barbeque or finishing sauce, wasabi imparts a delicious flavor to steaks, tenderloins, chops or chicken. It is best used during the final ten minutes of cooking. Try it with teriyaki, peanut sauces, marinades or your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Sweet and Spicy: For a fabulous and unexpected twist, add Real Wasabi™ paste to raspberry, peach, strawberry, blueberry or mango jam. The resulting mixture is incredible on mascarpone and crackers. It is also tasty with fresh fruit salsa. Thin the jam and wasabi mixture with a bit of water to make a finishing sauce for tenderloin, fish or chicken.
- Potatoes and Vegetables: Real Wasabi™ easily lends its distinctive taste to mashed potatoes. Simply fold the wasabi paste and butter into potatoes before serving. Also, it is great with vegetables, whether brushed on butter while grilling or blended with mayonnaise.
- Hors d’Oeuvre: One of the simplest crowd-pleasers is to blend one part Real Wasabi paste with nine parts cream cheese. Spread it on crackers or top a dish of the mixture with with a jam or chutney for a colorful, mouth pleasing dip.
- Beverages: If you love a good martini, and appreciate the taste of real wasabi, you will flip over the combination. Simply add a dab of the paste to your shaker of chilled vodka. Or, redefine the Bloody Mary by stirring in some wasabi instead of horseradish.
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*Always mix Real Wasabi or any “wasabi” powder into a paste before using it as an ingredient. |
- Q. Is it acceptable to bring my own container of wasabi paste to a sushi bar?
A. Absolutely. The sushi chefs and waiters will recognize you as a connoisseur! If they show interest, you might offer them the jar so they can make themselves a taste!
- Q. Where can I buy Real Wasabi?
A. You can buy both the dried, ground wasabi powder and the fresh wasabi root (rhizome) at RealWasabi.com.
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Fresh wasabi root (rhizome). |
Dried ground wasabi powder. |
© Copyright 2005-
2008
Lifestyle Direct, Inc. All rights reserved. Images are copyright of their respective owners.
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