Japanese Food Tips

Wasabi (Japanese horseradish) is a well-known condiment essential to Japanese cuisine and is used similarly to mustard. It is usually used for sushi, sashimi, zarusoba, and so on, and is said to be good to eat with raw foods because of its antibacterial effect. It is characterized by its musty taste and stinging of the nose. The wasabi plant is actually a thick conical rhizome, which is grated. Grated wasabi is sold in plastic tubes or small plastic bags, and is green and very spicy. Wasabi rhizomes are only occasionally sold in supermarkets and department stores, and many Japanese may never have seen them. Wasabi leaves grow in bunches, and the leaf shape is nearly circular. Wasabi leaves are used to make wasabi pickles, made by marinating chopped wasabi leaves, stems, and roots in sake lees. The pickles are eaten as a side dish with sake or with steamed rice. Wasabi is a specialty product that can only be grown in a limited number of places in Japan because it requires plenty of clean water and grows in cool areas with temperatures below 16°C even in summer. Wasabi was around in the Asuka period (593-740), while the history of full-scale cultivation took place during the Edo period (1603-1868), making it a food with a surprisingly long history.