Eating sushi without a little soy sauce, red ginger and wasabi is a mistake, isn’t it?
Do you think the wasabi you are eating in the other wasabi tube is real? Then you will be shocked to know this fact.
Chances are the wasabi you eat at this shop is just “fake” wasabi.
That is, even if you eat at many Japanese restaurants, it is not certain that the wasabi that you are served to eat with the other sushi is “100% genuine” .
Because most likely, the wasabi you enjoy is just a mixture of European horseradish, mustard greens and green food coloring.
European horseradish also gives you a spicy sensation.
Speaking of which, the wasabi plant is in the same family as the European horseradish plant (Euro Horseradish) and both give you a pungent, pungent feeling straight to your nose.
So many manufacturers have taken advantage of this ingredient to create “wasabi” compounds to serve diners.
Wasabi is a species of cruciferous plant, the scientific name is Wasabia Japonica , very rarely appears in the US and even its native country – Japan.
This is considered a high-class food of the country of cherry blossoms. They are notoriously difficult to grow and expensive .
Growing Wasabi is really difficult because this plant likes shade, requires clean, nutrient-rich water (calcium) to flow through but not too wet.
A complete wasabi plant.
Growing Wasabi is difficult, but relatives of natural wasabi (Wasbia tenuis) also only grow in mountainous areas, in the beds of streams because this is the best growing environment. With the natural Wasabia Japonica , they only grow in areas with continuous running water.
Therefore, the “real” Wasabia Japonica is very rare and if sold, it is certainly not cheap at all.
According to the BBC, for grown wasabi alone, their wholesale price is already around 160 USD/kg (about 3.6 million VND), so it is understandable that natural wasabi is even more expensive .
Fresh wasabi is grated.
Did you know wasabi has a very vibrant taste? That tube of mustard you still use is definitely not the same as fresh wasabi. Because wasabi’s flavor depends on a chemical reaction that changes over time.
When finely ground, the cells in the stem of fresh wasabi will “open” and secrete a very spicy allyl isothiocyanate compound with a characteristic strong taste.
The part used for processing is the wasabi root. Or all that remains after removing leaves and branches. If you are lucky enough to enjoy sushi at a restaurant that uses fresh wasabi, you can ask the chef to bring the wasabi root and grate it on the spot. Wasabi loses its flavor about 15 minutes after it is finely grated or cut. One food reviewer has described fresh wasabi as ” strong and spicy but not pungent and doesn’t stay hot for long… It has a fresh, herbaceous and distinctly herbal taste”, unlike the original version. fake copy.
To get the full flavor of fresh wasabi – you should only eat it 15 minutes after it’s been grated. The pungent intensity rushes straight to the nose very strongly and will fade after about 15-20 minutes.
To get the full flavor of fresh wasabi – you should only eat it 15 minutes after it’s been grated.
It is known that fresh wasabi when grated will look like carrots, moist with water, slightly spongy.
Scientists have also studied wasabi’s pharmacological properties. It seems that wasabi has the ability to reduce allergy symptoms, fight cancer and inhibit the growth of bacteria. However, scientists still need to conduct more specific studies. It may be due to the antibacterial properties that wasabi is used to eat with sushi, which is considered a way to prevent illness when eating raw fish.
Now, if someone accidentally gives you a wasabi plant, how do you enjoy the true spiciness of wasabi?