Wasabi is popular as expensive and unique spices from Japan. Originally, wasabi is a plant of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish, and mustard. It is also called Japanese horseradish although horseradish is a different plant (which is often used as a substitute for wasabi). The plant grows naturally along stream beds in mountain river valleys in Japan. Wasabi is difficult to cultivate, and that makes it quite expensive. Due
to its high cost, a common substitute is a mixture of horseradish,
mustard, starch and green food coloring. Outside of Japan, it is rare to
find real wasabi plants.
Wasabi stem is used as a condiment and has an extremely strong pungency. Its hotness is more akin to that of a hot mustard than that of the capsaicin in a chili pepper, producing vapours that stimulate the nasal passages more than the tongue. Wasabi is generally sold either as a stem, which must be very finely grated before use, as dried powder in large quantities, or as a ready-to-use paste in tubes similar to travel toothpaste tubes.
At some Japanese restaurants, the paste is prepared when the customer orders, and is made using a grater to grate the stem; once the paste is prepared, it loses flavour in 15 minutes if left uncovered sushi preparation, sushi chefs usually put the wasabi between the fish and the rice because covering wasabi until served preserves its flavor. Fresh wasabi leaves can be eaten, having the spicy flavor of wasabi stems.
Wasabi, expensive spices from Japan
