Buzz
Wasabi is an indispensable seasoning in Japanese sushi dishes.
It's a fact that Japanese sushi has become famous worldwide. Along with that, the green condiment known as wasabi, or pure horseradish, which reduces fishy odors and warms the stomach when eating raw food, is also widely mentioned.
Wasabi is a plant belonging to the mustard family, usually sold in the form of roots or stems and must be finely ground on a special metal tool called oroshigane before use. In some places in Japan, people prefer to grate wasabi with dried shark skin. Wasabi has a strong and stimulating nose-burning taste. In sushi preparation, chefs often place wasabi between the fish and rice until served to preserve its flavor longer.
Typically, fresh wasabi is also known as a highly priced seasoning, for many reasons. In 2014, the price per kg of wasabi in Japan was around 160 USD, but today, it has risen to over 250 USD.
A piece of work about wasabi published in December 2020 revealed that a sushi chef in central Tokyo spent over 700 USD on wasabi every month. Due to its high cost, in many restaurants, to save costs, fresh wasabi is replaced with ground horseradish, which lacks much flavor.
First and foremost is the composition of the wasabi mixture. If the mixture is dense and sticky, it's a sign that the wasabi is likely made from horseradish (ground finely to achieve a completely smooth texture). If the mixture is slightly grainy, it indicates that the restaurant is using real wasabi grated from the actual root.
