Wasabi (
Japanese: , , or , ) or Japanese horseradish (''Eutrema japonicum''
syn. ''Wasabia japonica'') is a plant of the family
Brassicaceae
Brassicaceae () or (the older but equally valid) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important Family (biology), family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous pla ...
, which also includes
horseradish
Horseradish (''Armoracia rusticana'', syn. ''Cochlearia armoracia'') is a perennial plant of the family Brassicaceae (which also includes Mustard plant, mustard, wasabi, broccoli, cabbage, and radish). It is a root vegetable, cultivated and us ...
and
mustard in other
genera
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
. The plant is
native to Japan, the
Russian Far East
The Russian Far East ( rus, Дальний Восток России, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok rɐˈsʲiɪ) is a region in North Asia. It is the easternmost part of Russia and the Asia, Asian continent, and is coextensive with the Far Easte ...
including
Sakhalin, and the
Korean Peninsula
Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically divided at or near the 38th parallel between North Korea (Dem ...
.
It grows naturally along stream beds in mountain river valleys in Japan.
Wasabi is grown for its
rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...
s, which are ground into a paste as a
pungent condiment for
sushi
is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...
and other foods. It is similar in taste to hot mustard or horseradish rather than
chilli peppers, in that it stimulates the nose more than the tongue, but freshly grated wasabi has a subtly distinct flavour.
The main cultivars in the marketplace are ''E. japonicum'' 'Daruma' and 'Mazuma', but there are many others.
[
The oldest record of wasabi as a food dates to the 8th century AD. The popularity of wasabi in English-speaking countries has coincided with that of sushi, growing steadily from about 1980. Due to constraints that limit the Japanese wasabi plant's mass cultivation and thus increase its price and decrease availability outside Japan, the western horseradish plant is widely used in place of wasabi. This is commonly referred to as "western wasabi" () in Japan.
]
Taxonomy
Siebold named ''Cochlearia (?) wasabi'' in 1830, noting its use ''pro condimento'' or "as a condiment"; however, this is a ''nomen nudum
In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, a ''nomen nudum'' ('naked name'; plural ''nomina nuda'') is a designation which looks exactly like a scientific name of an organism, and may have originally been intended to be one, but it has not been published ...
'', and the synonym
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
''Eutrema wasabi'', published by Maximovich in 1873, is thus an illegitimate name. The wasabi plant was first described by Miquel in 1866, as ''Lunaria (?) japonica'', from the type collected by Siebold in Japan, though the precise type locality was not recorded.
In 1899 Matsumura erected the genus '' Wasabia'', recognising within it the species ''Wasabia pungens'' and ''Wasabia hederaefolia''; these are now regarded as synonyms
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
of ''Eutrema japonicum''. In 1912 Matsumura recognised the species ''Wasabia japonica'', treating his earlier ''Wasabia pungens'' as a synonym. In 1930, Koidzumi transferred the wasabi plant to the genus '' Eutrema'', the correct name and author citation being ''Eutrema japonicum'' ( Miq.) Koidz.
Description
It has large leaves produced from long, thin stalks.[ They are simple and large, long and wide with palmate veins.]
Wasabi flowers appear in clusters from long stems that bloom from late winter to early spring.
Culinary uses
As condiment
Wasabi is mainly used to make wasabi paste, which is a pungent, spicy condiment eaten with foods like sushi
is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...
. The part used for wasabi paste has been characterized as the rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...
or the stem, or the "rhizome plus the base part of the stem". Stores generally sell only this part of the plant.
The fresh rhizome is grated into a paste, and eaten in small amounts at a time. Traditionally, coarse sharkskin is used to grate the root, but metal graters called '' oroshigane'' are used in modern times. Fresh wasabi paste loses its flavor quickly if left uncovered, and so the paste is grated on the spot in some high-end restaurants. Sushi chefs usually put the wasabi between the fish and the rice, to cover the wasabi and preserve its flavour.
Store-bought wasabi paste is usually made from dried wasabi powder, and sold in bottles or squeezable toothpaste
Toothpaste is a paste or gel dentifrice that is used with a toothbrush to clean and maintain the aesthetics of Human tooth, teeth. Toothpaste is used to promote oral hygiene: it is an abrasive that aids in removing dental plaque and food from th ...
-like tubes.
Wasabi (9452965932).jpg, Wasabi paste on a plate of sushi
is a traditional Japanese dish made with , typically seasoned with sugar and salt, and combined with a variety of , such as seafood, vegetables, or meat: raw seafood is the most common, although some may be cooked. While sushi comes in n ...
Wasabi on green shiso leaves by june29.jpg, Wasabi paste on a green shiso leaf
Benkei Soba (1183903385).jpg, Wasabi in a bowl of noodles, with nameko mushrooms
Wasabi - Shizuoka - 2024 11 4.webm, thumbtime=3, Fresh wasabi on display and wasabi being grated
Takowasabi (2014-02-15).JPG, ''Tako-wasabi'', raw octopus mixed with wasabi
Itawasa by jetalone in Tsukiji, Tokyo.jpg, '' Itawasa'' with wasabi
司こなや 新屋 (17067887810).jpg, Wasabi with soba noodles
Chef Grating Wasabi (12007382115).jpg, A chef grating fresh wasabi root
WasabiOnOroshigane.jpg, Wasabi and metal '' oroshigane'' grater
Wasabi sauce.jpg, Bottle of horseradish, artificial flavorings, and wasabi powder
As flavoring
Wasabi is used to flavor many foods, especially dry snacks. are legume
Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...
s (peanuts, soybeans, or peas) that are roasted or fried and then coated with wasabi powder, and eaten as a snack.
Others
Fresh wasabi leaves can be eaten raw, having a spicy flavor, but a common side effect is diarrhea
Diarrhea (American English), also spelled diarrhoea or diarrhœa (British English), is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements in a day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration d ...
. ''Wasabizuke'' is made of wasabi leaves pickled in sake lees, and is considered a specialty of Shizuoka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,555,818 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Pref ...
.
Surrogates
Wasabi favors growing conditions that restrict its wide cultivation – among other things, it is quite intolerant of direct sunlight, requires an air temperature between , and prefers high humidity in summer. This makes fully satisfying commercial demand impossible for growers, which makes wasabi quite expensive. Therefore, outside Japan, finding real wasabi plants is rare.
A common substitute is a mixture of horseradish, mustard, starch
Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diet ...
, and green food colouring or spinach powder. Often packages are labelled as wasabi while the ingredients do not include any part of the wasabi plant. The primary difference is colour, with wasabi being naturally green. Fresh horseradish root is described as having a similar (albeit simpler) flavor and texture to that of fresh wasabi.
In Japan, horseradish is referred to as . Outside of Japan, where fresh wasabi is hard to obtain, a powdered mixture of horseradish and mustard oil, known as , is used at a majority of sushi restaurants, including reputable ones. In the United States, true wasabi is generally found only at specialty grocers and high-end restaurants.
Chemistry
The chemical in wasabi that provides its initial pungency is the volatile compound allyl isothiocyanate, which is produced by hydrolysis
Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution reaction, substitution, elimination reaction, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water ...
of allyl glucosinolate, a natural thioglucoside (conjugates of the sugar glucose and sulfur-containing organic compounds); the hydrolysis reaction is catalyzed by myrosinase and occurs when the enzyme is released on cell rupture caused by maceration – e.g., grating – of the plant. The same compound is responsible for the pungency of horseradish and mustard. Allyl isothiocyanate can also be released when the wasabi plants have been damaged because it is being used as a defense mechanism. The sensory neural target of mustard oil is the chemosensory receptor, TRPA1, also known as the wasabi receptor.
The unique flavour of wasabi is a result of complex chemical mixtures from the broken cells of the plant, including those resulting from the hydrolysis of thioglucosides, including sinigrin and other glucosinolates, into glucose and methylthioalkyl isothiocyanate
In organic chemistry, isothiocyanate is a functional group as found in compounds with the formula . Isothiocyanates are the more common isomers of thiocyanates, which have the formula .
Occurrence
Many isothiocyanates from plants are produce ...
s:
* 6-(Methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate ( 6-MITC)
* 7-Methylthioheptyl isothiocyanate
* 8-Methylthiooctyl isothiocyanate
Such isothiocyanates inhibit microbial growth, perhaps with implications for preserving food against spoilage and suppressing oral bacterial growth.
Because the burning sensations of wasabi are not oil-based, they are short-lived compared to the effects of capsaicin
Capsaicin (8-methyl-''N''-vanillyl-6-nonenamide) (, rarely ) is an active component of chili peppers, which are plants belonging to the genus ''Capsicum''. It is a potent Irritation, irritant for Mammal, mammals, including humans, and produces ...
in chilli peppers and are washed away with more food or liquid. The sensation is felt primarily in the nasal passage and can be painful depending on the amount consumed. Inhaling or sniffing wasabi vapor has an effect like smelling salts, a property exploited by researchers attempting to create a smoke alarm for the deaf. One deaf subject participating in a test of the prototype awoke within 10 seconds of wasabi vapour sprayed into his sleeping chamber. The 2011 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to the researchers for determining the ideal density of airborne wasabi to wake people in the event of an emergency.
Nutritional information
Wasabi is normally consumed in such small quantities that its nutritional value is negligible. The major constituents of raw wasabi root are carbohydrates (23.5%), water (69.1%), fat (0.63%), and protein (4.8%).
Cultivation
Few places are suitable for large-scale wasabi cultivation, which is difficult even in ideal conditions. In Japan, wasabi is cultivated mainly in these regions:
* Izu Peninsula
The is a mountainous peninsula with a deeply indented coastline to the west of Tokyo on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast of the island of Honshu, Japan, the largest of the four main islands of Japan. Formerly known as Izu Province, Izu peninsu ...
in Shizuoka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,555,818 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Pref ...
("Traditional Wasabi Cultivation in Shizuoka, Japan" is a Globally and Japanese Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage System)
* Nagano Prefecture
is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...
including the Daio Wasabi Farm in Azumino (a popular tourist attraction and the world's largest commercial wasabi farm)
* Iwate Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It is the second-largest Japanese prefecture (behind Hokkaido) at , with a population of 1,165,886 (as of July 1, 2023). Iwate Prefecture borders Aomori Pre ...
* Shimane Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Shimane Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-least populous prefecture of Japan at 665,205 (February 1, 2021) and has a ge ...
known as its Hikimi wasabi
Numerous artificial cultivation facilities also exist as far north as Hokkaido
is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...
and as far south as Kyushu
is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...
. As the demand for real wasabi is higher than that which can be produced within Japan, Japan imports copious amounts of wasabi from the United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
, South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
, Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, Thailand
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
and New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
. In North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
, wasabi is cultivated by a handful of small farmers and companies in the rain forests on the coast of Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West, or Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a list of regions of Canada, Canadian region that includes the four western provinces and t ...
, the Oregon Coast, and in areas of the Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...
in North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
and Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
. In Europe, wasabi is grown commercially in Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
, the Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
, and the UK.
Modern cultivars of wasabi mostly derive from three traditional cultivars, 'Fujidaruma', 'Shimane No. 3' and 'Mazuma'. Sequencing of the chloroplastic genome, which is inherited maternally in wasabi, supports this conclusion.
See also
* '' Satoyama''
References
Further reading
*
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*
External links
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{{Authority control
Eutrema
Japanese condiments
Japanese cuisine terms
Medicinal plants
Spices
Sushi
Taxa named by Gen-ichi Koidzumi