Thursday, April 26, 2012

A to Z Challenge: W - Wasabi

Wasabi

Wasabi - yum! I've only had real wasabi once or twice. The stuff you get in most Sushi restaurants is not real wasabi; it's a paste made from horseradish and mustard, died green. It's not bad, but it's still not the real deal.

So - wasabi my ninja? Get it?

wa·sa·bi [wah-suh-bee] n. a very pungent green Japanese condiment made from the root of the herb Eutrema wasabi

Synonyms: none, but wasabi tastes and causes your nasal passage to react similar to horseradish and mustard

Etymology: herb root used in cooking, 1903, from Japanese.

Wow. What a boring etymology. However, now I'm hungry.

38 comments:

farawayeyes said...

OK, you got my mouth watering and my nose running. Was that TMI?

Anonymous said...

I love wasabi with my sushi! It's the only hot condiment that makes me laugh. Seriously! It hits my nostrils and I'm like, "Whoa!", shutting my eyes, cringing and laughing!

So fun!!!

Heather Murphy said...

I feel robbed! I didn't realize that wasn't really Wasabi served in restaurants. I also like peas covered in dry wasabi. Yummy

Jessica Bell said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE sushi, AND wasabi!

Zan Marie said...

I've never had wasabi...and I don't really like HOT stuff, so I might leave more of the green stuff for y'all. ; )

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I've had the real stuff several times and it is awesome!

Jolie du Pre said...

I travel a lot. So I've probably tasted it.

JeffO said...

I don't eat sushi, but everyone else in my family does. When they force me to a Japanese restaurant, I filch bits of wasabi, just for fun. And the pickled ginger.

Brinda said...

I guess I've only had the paste. Well, and I've had Wasabi coated peas I think. It's really not my favorite thing.

Daisy Carter said...

Ooh, I love wasabi...er, horseradish and mustard. Now I want sushi for breakfast!

Daisy Carter said...

Ooh, I love wasabi...er, horseradish and mustard. Now I want sushi for breakfast!

Old Kitty said...

You mean I'm yet to taste REAL wasabi (cos all I've had was green dyed horseradish) !?!?!

Take care
x

Michael G-G said...

I don't know if I've ever had real wasabi either, even after living in Japan. If I did, no one ever made a fuss about it. Now you've made me want to go and search out the real stuff!

Julie Daines said...

I'm not a huge fan myself, but my son can't get enough of this stuff with his sushi--although it's probably just the fake stuff, as you've explained.

It's a cool word to say, though. Wasabi!

Anonymous said...

Can't say I've ever had real wasabi. Or fake wasabi, for that matter. Can't say that I ever will, either.

Nancy Thompson said...

It's not real? Glad I don't eat the fake stuff then.

Rick Daley said...

I love wasabi (or the faux wasabi I get with sushi). I'm a daredevil with it. If my eyes don't water and my nose doesn't sear, I didn't get enough.

Elise Fallson said...

"wasabi my ninja" LOL!

I love wasabi (the fake kind, never tried the real stuff). Also wasabi peas rock!

Cassie Mae said...

It sounds like that dude's name in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Arroogasaki or something like that, LOL.

S. L. Hennessy said...

My friends tricked me into trying a huge scoop once before I knew what it was. My taste buds STILL hurt.

Angela Brown said...

Wasabi to you, too :-)

I have low tolerance for really hot food so I've avoided wasabi adamantly. The use of wasabi in Cars 2 was genuinely hilarious lol!!!

Christina Lee said...

*ACHOO*! But I'd sneeze my way through my sushi any day (real or not).

Natalie Aguirre said...

I've heard of it but never tried it.

Claire Hennessy said...

Ooh I didn't know that. I am a new sushi lover and like a tiny bit of that green stuff (bit wimpy to have too much) but also like the wasabi peas (or is that green stuff on green stuff?!)

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Matthew .. I'd love to try the real things .. I've had the prepared stuff .. and I guess it's similar - but I need to get the real thing one day .. cheers Hilary

Lynn Proctor said...

this sounds really --i love horseradish

Glynis Peters said...

Catching up on your posts.

Wasabi was a new item for me about two years ago. I was hooked.

Unknown said...

Love that stuff. Of course, I'm half Japanese...

Mina Burrows said...

I'm hungry too. And sadly my kids won't eat sushi. :0(

Donna K. Weaver said...

So it's hot I guess. I don't do hot. lol Describe pungent.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

YUM!!! Feel my nasal passages expand and inhale deeply!...Thanks, Matt...:)JP

D.E. Malone said...

I think I've tried it long ago, though I must not have enjoyed it since it didn't leave an impression.

Marta Szemik said...

My hubby loves wasabi ;) I like it too but in tiny, tiny quantities.

Leslie S. Rose said...

I thought it was guacamole the first time I dipped into it. Haven't been back to the wasabi mound since then, nor have my sinuses ever been so clear.

Andrew Leon said...

Whatever you do, stay away from the pistachio ice cream!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I don't know if I've ever had real wasabi

Bonnie said...

"Wasabi" was my movie of the day! Ha!

D.G. Hudson said...

Do not like wasabi. Too strong for my taste, just like horseradish.

Glad you like it, Matt. You can have my share.