Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Big in Japan: What Exactly is Wasabi?
Did you ever wonder what exactly that green stuff is that you smear on your sushi?
I mean, we all know that wasabi (???, ??) burns like a hell-spawned wildfire, and clears the sinuses with a fiery vengeance. But, where does it actually come from, and how can something so seemingly innocent be so unbelievably potent?
For starters, the best wasabi comes from Japan (no surprise there), most notably the Izu peninsula in Shizuoka prefecture. Much like American horseradish, wasabi plants grow naturally in stream beds, particularly where there is clean water that is free of impurities.
If you've ever had the pleasure of smearing just a tad too much of the stuff on your tuna roll, wasabi is a nasal irritant that is more comparable to hot mustard than it is to chili pepper. That wonderful little chemical that can have you rolling your head on the sushi bar is called an isothiocyanate, which coincidentally inhibits microbe growth.
Although there's no denying that wasabi brings out the flavors of sushi, it may have been traditionally added to raw fish in order to prevent it from spoiling.
Gallery: Japanese Food
Needless to say, you shouldn't eat raw fish unless you're absolutely confident in the quality of the fish. Just because sushi makes an appearance at an all you can eat buffet doesn't necessarily mean that you should eat all you can!
Interestingly enough, most Americans have never actually eaten real wasabi as the stuff sold stateside is usually squeezed out of a tube. In fact, this stuff actually doesn't even contain any real wasabi, and is usually nothing more than horseradish, mustard seed, and green food coloring.
Real wasabi, which I can assure you has no equal substitute, is sold in Japan in the form of a root.
Before it can be used, the wasabi plant is grated on a metal oroshigane (卸し金), which is a special kind of grater used solely for wasabi. Traditionally of course, the best graters were made of shark skin, and today upmarket sushi restaurants in Tokyo still grate wasabi according to this method.
(By the way, the lovely lady in the picture to the right is my dear mother, who is clearly showing her prowess at grating wasabi. Of course, not that she would ever touch the stuff, or sushi for that matter, but you can't deny that she has good technique).
Once the wasabi paste is prepared, it should remain covered until served in order to protect the flavor from evaporation. In case you were wondering, this is the actual reason why sushi chefs always put the wasabi between the fish and the rice.
Well, I hope this little lecture on wasabi has been informative. Now that you know exactly what wasabi is, go ahead and impress your friends with some wasabi trivia the next time you're sitting at a sushi bar.
But seriously - go easy on the stuff - it really does pack a serious punch!
Filed under: Food and Drink, Asia, Japan, Big in Japan
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Idecline Oct 20th 2007 9:01PM
Umm, your mother is to the right
ericsmusclecars Oct 20th 2007 9:33PM
I love it for clearing out my sinuses. To much gives you a real head rush.
http://www.ericsmusclecars.com
Jodie Oct 20th 2007 10:06PM
I actually LOVE Wasabi! The more the merrier! I have to be honest, I have only had the state side type and I can't get enough of it. I however do have some of the real stuff in my freezer just waiting for a reason to come out. I just ordered some sushi and I think I will give it a shot. I am hoping it is hot enough for my taste. As a manufacturer of hot sauces, I am very used to spicy foods (we make our hot sauces with Habaneros and just recently one sauce with the Dorset Naga pepper--YUM YUM YUM). I can't wait for my sushi to get here now!!!
kbk9650 Oct 20th 2007 10:22PM
I once used the American version just a little too much. Not only did it take the breath out of my lungs, bring tears to my eyes, I actually got a blister on the roof of my mouth. I treat it with a lot more respect now!
JOHN Oct 20th 2007 10:49PM
To: Matthew Firestone, writer of this article:
You seem to be barely literate "this stuff, that stuff" with the writing style "needless to say" "interestingly enough" of an old yenta (Jewish housewife).
It seems more and more unaqualified writers are getting jobs; how sad the art writing has now become a "who you know" profession instead of "how good your are" one.
drmsnta2s Oct 20th 2007 11:14PM
Hey John (#4) - How is it that you can complain about this author's writing when you can't even write a correct sentence yourself?!?! (unAqualified, how sad the art writing)
kbk9650 Oct 20th 2007 11:18PM
To John on comment #4............too bad you didn't edit your second paragraph before you made your comment about being "literate". Did you want to say " unqualified" instead of "unaqualified" and did you want to say the "art of writing" instead of " art writing"? Typos count when you are calling someone else "literate".
Matthew Firestone Oct 20th 2007 11:25PM
Hi John,
I appreciate the comment about me being an unqualified writer who just got this job because I was well-connected. As you've correctly pointed out, I have no formal writing experience, and actually have never been to Japan for that matter. Being the son of wealthy executives at AOL, I was given this job in the hopes that I would clean up my act, give up the blow and perhaps find inner peace. So far it isn't working.
Yours with respect,
Matthew "Nepotism" Firestone
LELE Oct 21st 2007 7:30PM
First to John, this person seemed well informed about this subject, whatever word he was using to describe "Wasabi". To me, that's just what wasabi is, "Stuff"'!
I get weary of all the comments! It seems everyone has an opinion on everything! And it all just seems senseless! Who cares about wasabi or why this or that does this or that!
It is all so tedious and mindless!
tmegus Oct 20th 2007 11:29PM
To drmsnta2s # 5
Thank you for your comment to John!
And, to John, #4 ... Thanks for the laugh!
kbk9650 Oct 20th 2007 11:37PM
Matthew..............keep the rubber on the road.........you can make it!! LOL
jits sugai Oct 20th 2007 11:41PM
Aloha John, Americans tend to confuse sashimi, which is the raw fish that is often part of the Sushi(rice). Yup, wasabi is great stuff as long as you don't mistake it for avacado dip. Pardon my writing too...lol...my writing skills suck. ws
dieter Oct 20th 2007 11:42PM
your kanji, technically kana, for oroshigane is wrong 下ろし金, 卸し金 and 下し金 are the three accepted ways of writing the word
Matthew Firestone Oct 20th 2007 11:46PM
Thanks dieter - I stand corrected.
JP Oct 20th 2007 11:49PM
If you're reading on-line trivia to find a great piece of writing, you don't even deserve to be a snob. I suppose your comment was born out of frustration. I am also an English major and finding it difficult to pass for useful at all (despite the many corporate web-sites I see whose bad spelling and syntax make themselves look like idiots).
JP Oct 20th 2007 11:51PM
If you're reading on-line trivia to find a great piece of writing, you don't even deserve to be a snob. I suppose your comment was born out of frustration. I am also an English major and finding it difficult to pass for useful at all (despite the many corporate web-sites I see whose bad spelling and syntax make themselves look like idiots).
Xavier Oct 21st 2007 12:08AM
Matthew, needless to say, your article on "Wasabi" was quite informative and I enjoyed reading it. Additionally, your reply to John was "CLASSIC" and I equally enjoyed that as well.
I'll be looking forward to future articles from you, whether you use "spell-check" or not, it's all good!!! :-)
PS - How did you ever get your mother to grind Wasabi if she never touches sushi?
Matthew Firestone Oct 21st 2007 12:07AM
Thanks for the comment Xavier - it's comments like your that give me the courage to put down the bottle.
PS My mother came to visit me here in Japan, and was a good sport about doing 'Japanese things' like grating wasabi even though she ate McDonald's and Wendy's for most of the week!
dieter Oct 21st 2007 12:12AM
no problem, another thing about the oroshigane is if it's sharkskin it's not an oroshigane because theres no "gane" which means iron or metal in this case, so you would use 鮫皮の卸し samezaya no oroshi or sharkskin grater.
thesanfrankid Oct 21st 2007 12:42AM
hey im sorry from diverting from talking about english but if your looking for a prank to pull (and i have done this) take an ordenary pack of american wasabi (not the tube but a small package like what comes in the sushi trays and find someone who loves spicy foods but has never tried wasabi and dare him or her to consume half of that small package at once. as for example (and this happened) i dared my friend 3$ to consume half of the package of wasabi and i have never before seen anyone run that fast out of the classroom and to the restroom not to gag but to rinse their mouth out
Sorry for that