Note to sushi lovers: most wasabi paste is fake!

While visiting a Japanese restaurant, both back home and in Japan, have you ever wondered what wasabi really is? If you're a fan of Japanese food, you've probably seen it served as a light green dough served with pieces of nigiri sushi or slices of sashimi.

Obviously green in color, hot and moot... But seriously, what is wasabi and how is it made? Here's everything you need to know about Japanese wasabi, including the difference between real and fake wasabi.

Do I really eat wasabi?

If you are wondering how to distinguish between real wasabi and fake, first check the texture of wasabi paste. When wasabi is thick and doughy, it's a sign that it's fake wasabi made from horseradish (mashed to give a perfectly smooth texture). If the texture is sandy (due to fresh humans), it is most likely to be a true wasabia from the stem of the wasabi.

Real wasabi is always served fresh because it quickly loses its flavor and taste once it is gladed. For example, in an upscale sushi restaurant, chefs will carefully grate the exact amount of wasabi to complement the sushi and balance the flavor of the fish. It is often placed between rice and a Nigerian sushi layer to preserve it in the best possible shape.

So, in conclusion, "What is Wasabi"? It is known to be a condiment from Japan from the underground stem of the wasabi plant. Real wasabi is served raw, in the form of a paste made from finely grating its leg.

If you're wondering what wasabi is, now you know. Wasabi growing conditions should be perfect, making it incredibly rare and expensive. However, this traditional Japanese spice is delicious, even if you have to settle for imitation wasabi for a spicy mustard flavor.

What is wasabi?

So, let's get to the point: really, what is wasabi? Whether by the scientific name Wasabia japonica or Eutrema japonicum, wasabi is a horseradish spice from Japan that is known to accompany sushi, sashimi, Japanese noodles (such as udun) and much more.

Also known as the "Japanese hot radish", real wasabi comes from a plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family, which typically includes other types of radish, chili radish, and mustard plants. True wasabi is more like a root vegetable than a spice, and is made from the rhizome of the wasabi plant, the stem part of it that is underground. This underground stem is well grated to form a real wasabi paste. This is similar to the ginger grating method, although wasabi is slightly less fiber.

Japanese radish is not the same European radish, although both plants belong to the same family.

What is the difference between real wasabi and fake wasabi?

In Japan or Japanese restaurants, wasabi is widely available. But in fact, if you think you've tried wasabi before, you've probably never really done it! It is possible that many people who consumed wasabi, only outside of Japan, only consumed fake or fake wasabi.

In Japanese, "hon-wasabi" refers to the wasabi plant native to Japan, while "seo-wasabi" is a word meaning chili radish, which is from Europe (sometimes called "wasabi-daikon"). The original Japanese wasabi is the real product, but because it is cheaper, European radish is used to make fake wasabi powder and other fake wasabi products. Using a low percentage of real wasabi, seo-wasabi is dyed green to make fake wasabi as a cheaper alternative.

It can be difficult to try real wasabi outside of Japan, as it is hard to find, and it is also very expensive.

Why is real wasabi so expensive?

Since wasabi can only be grown in very specific environments, it is one of the most expensive crops in the world. For this reason, many people outside Japan may not have tasted true wasabi before.

True wasabi is incredibly expensive because wasabi plants are notoriously difficult to grow, and require very specific conditions. In Japan, wasabi grows naturally in areas with mountain river valleys, where it can grow along riverbeds.

The ideal environment for growing is extremely rare, and wasabi plants need their stems to be partially submerged in clear running water, adding another level of accuracy to the process. Without streamflow in Japan's mountain river valleys, growing wasabi plants commercially is a major challenge, making it expensive to grow.

Nagano Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture, and Shimani Prefecture in Japan are known for their local production of wasabi. However, the Izu Peninsula region in Shizuoka Prefecture is the main area for wasabi cultivation, producing about 70% of Japan's wasabi.

What is fake wasabi made of?

If you're wondering what material fake wasabi is made of, it's mostly sio-wasabi (horseradish) disguised as a disguised sio-wasabi. To make this spice cheaper and more accessible, many fake wasabi products made with European chili radish are widely available in supermarkets or at your local Japanese restaurant.

Imitation wasabi can be found in the form of paste (most often in a compressible tube or in a small package) or in powder form (it must be mixed with water, generally in a small can). Generally, these counterfeit wasabi products contain only a small amount of true wasabi, only about 1 to 3 percent. This small amount of hon-wasabi is mixed with colored European radish to make it more affordable.