Wasabi!
Posted on 31. Mar, 2006 @ 11:19 am by harvey in Food
Anyone who is familiar with Japanese food is probably also familiar with wasabi, the “horseradish” spice that is usually eaten with sushi, sashimi or zarusoba, or other dishes. I have been in Japan for, “quite-some-time” now, but just recently I saw a wasabi plant for the first time.
This small izakaya owner was growing it in her shop! I’m curious as to how this works out, because I have heard that wasabi can only really be grown in areas with an especially pure water supply. And this izakaya is in the middle of an alley in Amagasaki…
I do not believe that the wasabi she served in her shop was the stuff she was growing… Didn’t ask.
The bottom picture, is of the upper part of wasabi. The leaves and stems and stuff. Normally when we eat wasabi we’re eating the ground root portion. This was my first time to try the leaves.
They’re good. They are not as nose-grinding, brain frying spicy as ground wasabi root, but they definitely have that wasabi taste.
On a side note, normally, wasabi will make the upper part of your nose burn if you eat too much too quickly, right? I found this sushi shop in Shibuya Mark City, with wasabi so “good”, that not only does it hurt the upper part of my nose, but it makes the back of my brain burn with that wasabi-sensation.
Good stuff!
- Harvey
6 Responses to “Wasabi!”
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Shay
Apr 1st, 2006
at 01:03
That’s what a wasabi plant looks like? Well, I learned my 1 thing for today. Thanks :)
Jeremy M.
Apr 1st, 2006
at 04:09
Informative. Now I’ve gotta’ try some wasabi leaves.
harvey
Apr 1st, 2006
at 12:14
Let me know if you find those leaves anywhere Jeremy, this was the first time I had seen them served since I have been here! Maybe they’re not so common?
Shay! You gotta lean more than one thing a day! ;-) Or, I need to post more often…
danny bee
Apr 9th, 2006
at 22:13
Harvey,
Great post on wasabi plant and photos. I linked to your blog over at japundit.com, if you care to see it.
Cheers,
Danny
PS: Do you ever blog about soy sauce?
De Gustibus Non Est Disputandum
Apr 10th, 2006
at 18:47
Contra a gripe, camisas
No Japão, claro. Claudio p.s. veja a planta que deu origem a seu vexame na primeira vez em que comeu sushi e achou que aquela “bolinha verde” era um docinho. :-)…
JapanNewbie » Wasabi a Threat to Science
Mar 3rd, 2007
at 23:50
[...] If you have ever eaten Wasabi a little bit too fast, you are familiar with the sense shocking destructive power of this innocent looking plant. [...]