Archive for May, 2009
About Wasabi
Don’t be fooled. The green smooth textured clump on the side of your sushi dish is rarely real wasabi. More commonly it is ordinary horseradish with food coloring added.
About Wasabi
Wasabi (Wasabia japonica syn. Eutrema japonica) is a highly valued plant in Japanese cuisine, used primarily as a condiment for seafood dishes. Wasabie is traditionally served with sushi (raw fish)
Japanese research found that wasabi fights certain bacteria. Perhaps most important where eating raw fish is concerned, it is noted that wasabi is also effective against Anisakis parasites that live in fish and can enter the human digestive system. Some studies have even found that wasabi has anti-cancer properties.
More recently it has found widespread appeal in western cuisine due to its unique flavor. Used as an ingredient in dressings, dips, sauces and marinades, wasabi is a versatile spice and is rapidly becoming one of the most popular new flavors.
Wasabi has a heat component that unlike chili peppers is not long lived on the palate and subsides into an extremely pleasant, mild vegetable taste that even people normally averse to hot food enjoy.
Culinary Uses
Wasabi is a condiment traditionally served with raw fish (sushi and sashimi) and noodle (soba) dishes in Japan. The ground root-like rhizome pungently flavors many foods in Japanese cuisine and its bright green color adds color contrast, for which Japanese dishes are famous.
In the last twenty years, because of low supply of fresh Wasabi rhizomes, substitutes made of mixtures of horseradish, mustard and food coloring have taken the place of freshly prepared Wasabi. Other parts of the Wasabi plant are also used. The leaves and petioles are picked or can be powdered for use as Wasabi flavoring, used now in many foods.
In traditional Japanese cuisine, Wasabi is prepared by grating the fresh rhizome against a rough surface.
Many believe that the Wasabi rhizome should be carefully peeled first before grating. It is recommended in either case to scrub the Wasabi rhizome with a soft brush before grating. Some Japanese Sushi Chefs will only use a sharkskin grater. The sharkskin gives grated Wasabi a smooth, soft and aromatic finish.
The best way to enjoy the full flavor of Fresh Wasabi is to spread a little on the fish and then dip the fish side of the sushi into soy sauce so that the sauce does not touch the Wasabi. Good Fresh Wasabi and Wasabi paste does not just have add spicy hotness, and sweetness but also a gentle fragrance to assist the taste of fresh fish with soy sauce.
Many diners, however, prefer to mix the Wasabi paste with soy sauce, called “Wasabi-joyu,” and use this as a dipping sauce for the raw fish, or mix the Wasabi directly into a bowl of noodles.
Tofu topped with soy sauce and Wasabi paste is an example of another traditional food using Wasabi. Wasabi leaves pickled in sake brine or soy sauce are popular accompaniments to white rice. It should be pointed out that a considerable amount of the volatile aroma and taste of the Wasabi paste would be lost when mixed with soy sauce or a heated dish.
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