Flavor description
Nicknamed “Japanese horseradish,” wasabi (WAH-sah-bee) is grated from a rare Asian plant. Authentic wasabi is expensive and hard to find in the United States. The common substitute is a blend of horseradish and mustard, tinted green with food coloring to look like wasabi.
Authentic wasabi has a pungent, intense spiciness, with a heat intensity like that of chile peppers. Wasabi’s hotness can be neutralized by drinking water. Wasabi’s texture is thick and toothpastelike.
How to use
Serve with sushi, mix into mashed potatoes, or use in a sauce or marinade for strong-flavored fish.
Where to find it
Look for tubes of wasabi paste or powder (to reconstitute with water) in the Asian food section of large supermarkets or in Asian markets.
Substitutes
Horseradish sauce or combine ground dry mustard with water (paste consistency)
Related Recipes
Wasabi Salmon
Vegetable Temaki
Tuna Nigiri
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