food

The wasabi you eat probably isn’t wasabi

5 Comments
By Oona McGee, RocketNews24

Great Big Story, a video network dedicated to “the untold, overlooked & flat-out amazing”, recently teamed up with All Nippon Airways to create a short clip exploring the fine art of wasabi cultivation. Called “The Wasabi You Eat Probably Isn’t Wasabi”, the clip is filmed in the beautiful countryside of Hotaka, in Nagano Prefecture, where workers at the Daio Wasabi Farm explain the intricate requirements involved in cultivating what’s been dubbed the “hardest plant to grow”. It’s this difficulty in cultivation that’s led to wasabi being substituted for horseradish with green food colouring overseas, which means many people end up missing out on the true flavour of the rare and unique plant.

So do you think you’ve ever had real wasabi? Unless you’re in Japan, where you can buy the Wasabia Japonica plant, which requires grinding on a shark-skin grater to release its flavour, chances are you’ve been eating horseradish coloured to look like wasabi.

Given the plant’s requirements for growth, which include 13-18 degree Celsius (55 – 64 degree Fahrenheit) spring water, a particular amount of shade and sunlight, and a year-and-a-half in the soil, wasabi can be incredibly expensive to buy.

Due to its high cost, it’s rare to find real wasabi plants outside Japan. Once you’ve tasted the real thing, however, you’ll know that it’s not just spicy; it has a complex, sweet flavour as well.

As the plant is so rare overseas, real wasabi is one of those uniquely Japanese experiences you should definitely try during a visit to the country. With a number of wasabi farms welcoming visitors with unusual treats like wasabi ice cream, noodles, and juice, a trip to a local producer is always a fun and eye-opening experience!

Information Daio Wasabi Farm/大王わさび農場 Address: Nagano-ken, Azumino-shi, Hotaka, 3640 長野県安曇野市穂高3640 Hours: 9 a.m. – 5:20 p.m. (last entry 4:30 p.m.) Website

Source: Ufunk

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- 5 amazing health and beauty benefits of eating wasabi -- How to enjoy wasabi painlessly, or at least as painlessly as possible -- Liquid wasabi from Shizuoka is our new favorite form of awesome sauce

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5 Comments
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Even in Japan - all is not as it seems.

Many of the popular Wasabi products sold in supermarkets are also horseradish. Shock, Horror but it's true.

If you want a tube of real wasabi you need to look for 本わさび, HonWasabi - real wasabi.

And an essential aspect of cultivation is clear, clean running water - which due to pollution, agri-chemicals etc has become in short supply.

I hear places like Tasmania - with large swathes of minimally impinged upon natural environments - are now optimal for producing the highest quality wasabi.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

My local Izakaya grinds his own. Wonderful texture and flavor.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

There is a wasabi farm in Oregon USA. They ship their wasabi all around the US if I remember correctly.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Hmmmmm... The news you are currently reading probably isn't news. anyone who has any interest in Japan or lives must have known this.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There is a Wasabi farm in Dorset, also does Watercress, both excellent.

Probably not a lot of use to anyone living elsewhere but (along with the comments from Triring and Browny1) does refute the rather sweeping assumption in the article that you won't have tasted Wasabi out side of Japan.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

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