Most wasabi paste isn’t real wasabi. While visiting a Japanese restaurant, either at home or in Japan, did you ever wonder what wasabi is?
It may be shocking to know that most people who are fans of Japanese food don’t even know the taste of real wasabi. Keep reading to find out why…
What is Wasabi and how it’s made
It’s distinctly green, zingy, and divisive… but seriously, what is wasabi and how is it made? Here’s everything you need to know about Japanese wasabi, including the difference between real and fake wasabi.
wasabi is the spicy horseradish condiment from Japan that’s best known as an accompaniment for sushi, sashimi, Japanese noodle dishes (like udon), and more.
Also known as “Japanese horseradish”, real wasabi comes from a plant that belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which typically encompasses other types of radishes, horseradishes, and mustard plants. Real wasabi is produced from the rhizome of the wasabi plant, which growers harvest as the underground stem, similarly to a root vegetable.
This underground stem is grated finely to create real wasabi paste. This is kind of like how ginger can be grated, although wasabi is a bit less fibrous.
What is the difference between real wasabi and fake wasabi?
In Japan or Japanese food restaurants, “wasabi” is widely available. But, if you think you’ve tried wasabi before, the chances are that in fact, you haven’t! Many people who have only eaten “wasabi” outside of Japan have probably only had imitation or fake wasabi.
In Japanese, hon-wasabi refers to the wasabi plant that is native to Japan, while Seiyo-wasabi (pictured below) is the word for horseradish which is from Europe (sometimes also called wasabi-daikon).
Japanese native wasabi is the real deal, but being cheaper, European horseradish is used to create powdered fake “wasabi” and other faux wasabi products. Using a low percentage of real wasabi, sei yo-wasabi is dyed green to make fake wasabi as a cheaper alternative.
Trying real wasabi outside of Japan can be difficult—it’s hard to find and very expensive. But if you’re looking for hon-wasabi, you can find it in our Japanese Pantry Staples box—consider it a starter kit for authentic Japanese cooking.
What does wasabi taste like?
Wasabi has a similar taste to hot mustard in that its spiciness hits the nose rather than the tongue like a chili pepper does.
True freshly grated wasabi has a signature “clean” spiciness that is gentle to start but gives a touch of quickly fading heat in your nostrils. Compared with real wasabi, fake wasabi can be hot and zingy too, but not as clean in the mouth.
Why is wasabi so spicy?
That hit of heat you get when you eat wasabi is unmistakable. But what makes wasabi spicy? Allyl isothiocyanate, a chemical compound found in mustard and horseradish, produces the spicy sensation o
Real wasabi is traditionally prepared by running the root in circles over a flat grater that acts like sandpaper, finely shearing the root down into a fresh paste, and unleashing the allyl isothiocyanate, making the wasabi spicy!
In contrast, chili pepper’s type of spice hits the tongue directly and comes from the chemical compound capsaicin. Thus, the spiciness of wasabi tends to go up the nose as opposed to the spice of cayenne or chili pepper.
What is wasabi made of?
Manufacturers disguise regular seiyo-wasabi (horseradish) as fake wasabi. To make this condiment cheaper and more accessible, many fake wasabi products are widely available in supermarkets or at your local Japanese food restaurant, made from European horseradish.
Manufacturers offer imitation wasabi in paste form, often packaging it in a squeezable tube or small pocket, or in powder form which needs to be mixed with water, generally in a little tin.
Generally speaking, these fake wasabi products will only have a tiny amount of real wasabi in them, around just 1 to 3 percent. Manufacturers mix this small amount of real wasabi with colored European horseradish to make it more affordable
Why is real wasabi so expensive?
Wasabi is one of the most expensive crops in the world because it can only be grown in very specific environments. This is why a lot of people outside of Japan may have never actually tasted real wasabi before.
Real wasabi is incredibly expensive because wasabi plants are notoriously difficult to grow and require very specific conditions.
In Japan, the wasabi plant grows naturally in areas that have mountain river valleys, where it can grow along the river stream beds.
The ideal growing environment is incredibly rare, and wasabi plants need their stems to be partially submerged in clear running water, adding another level of finickiness to the process.
Without running stream beds in Japan’s mountain river valleys, cultivating wasabi plants on a commercial level is very challenging, thus making it a pricey plant to grow.
The Health Benefits of Wasabi?
Not only is it a delicious accompaniment to sushi, but hon-wasabi is also full of vitamins and antioxidants, and offers a range of health benefits.
- It has anti-inflammatory properties for joints and muscles.
- It can help with arthritis and bone-related issues.
- It can help heal respiratory conditions.
- It may reduce the risk of heart disease and protect heart health.
- Wasabi boosts the immune system.
- It may promote fat loss.
- It can improve gut health.
- It can help alleviate the negative effects of seasonal allergies.
- It may reduce the risk of cancer.
- It has antibacterial properties & can kill food-borne bacteria
Conclusion
Although, wasabi might have a lot of health benefits, still bear in mind that it comes at a very high price tag. And let’s not also forget that these health benefits may only apply when it comes to real wasabi. The health benefits are missing when you eat fake wasabi.
