Fresh Wasabi
Lori Lee
Today's NY Times Dining In section, page F2 lists a purveyor of fresh
wasabi root. Each root when pared and grated yields about 1
tablespoon. Price $75 per pound, including shipping, about 30 roots
per pound, but less than a pound can be ordered. The importer is
Kinihiko Nakano, a former chef, and the phone # is 510 686-3673.
No affiliation, just thought there might be some interest.
Nobuyuki & Mari Nakajima
I don't think it's worth spending that kind of money on a little bit of
fresh wasabi. A long, long time ago, when I was a teenager, I did have fresh
wasabi with sashimi. Well, I remember it's different from the kind you
usually get at a Japanese restaurant: More coarse texture, because you
grate the root, and somewhat a little bit bitter. I prefer a tubed type
than a powdered, because it tastes more fresh, and it doesn't cost much.
By the way, the importer's name probably is Kunihiko, not Kinihiko.
I love amaebi, hamachi, shimesaba, and anago. What's you favorite, you
guys?
Mari
Michael J Barnett
I wrote--
. Bought one at the Daimaru department store
> > at the JR station in Osaka that was 2,000 yen. It's huge, looks like a
> > green kielbasa.
> >
Jet lag at it's best--This monster will probably yield about 3/4 to 1 cup
of grated Wasabi. The others are normal size, 4-6 tbls each.
> Thanks for the input. How was the fresh stuff in comparison to paste or
> powder? Is it worth the price differential? How much US is 2K yen?
>
Fresh has both taste and heat while the paste is almost exclusively heat.
At the current exchange rate 2,000 yen is about sixteen dollars. Is it
worth it? I only buy fresh when in Japan. I have to go about four or five
times per year so I usually have some in the frig. A root that sells for
50 to 60 dollars in NY will cost the equivalent of five dollars in Japan.
You just put an inch or so of water in a glass put in the roots and cover
loosely with plastic wrap. The whole thing will keep in the frig for a few
months although the taste does deteriorate over time.
If you can get the December issue of "Saveur" magazine there's an article
about tuna and Hatsuhana in NY. It starts on page 49 and has a picture of
two great sushi chefs-Kihara-san and Seki-san. Tell them I said hello.
I'll be there next Tuesday or Wednesday night with any luck.
Michael Barnett
Elizabeth & Keith Falkner
Michael J Barnett wrote:
>
> Just got back from Japan with about ten roots. Those must be some pretty
> small roots @ 30 to the pound because each of my ten will yield about 4-6
> tablespoons of grated Wasabi. Bought one at the Daimaru department store
> at the JR station in Osaka that was 2,000 yen. It's huge, looks like a
> green kielbasa.
>
> am being sent the recipe soon and will post it.
> --
> Michael J Barnett
> remove(-no spam) to reply
>
> Elizabeth & Keith Falkner <falk...@home.com> wrote in article
> <346A10...@home.com>...
> >
> > Does anyone know if 30 roots of fresh wasabi are worth $75 a pound,
> > especially if they yield only 2 scant cups of grated wasabi?
> >
> > Does anyone in this group have the experience able to critique fresh
> > wasabi vs. the powdered or tubed kind?
> >
> > Elizabeth
> >
Michael,
Thanks for the input. How was the fresh stuff in comparison to paste or
powder? Is it worth the price differential? How much US is 2K yen?
I am making sushi as part of a dinner party for friends tonight. Some
will say, "Why are you paying filet mignon prices for BAIT?" Some will
say, "WOW!". Some will say, "Can you make it without raw fish?"
For the latter, I have a concoction which never fails to please: I take
two leaves of Belgian Endive and stuff each cup-like leaf about 3/4 full
with sushi rice and add either smoked salmon or small cooked shrimp. I
press the leaves together and tie with kampyo or a small strip of nori.
I serve pink pickled ginger, soy sauce, and wasabi on the side.
I always announce before a dinner party that, as gracious hostess, I
will be absorbing ALL of the calories from dinner for all my guests. It
is unfortunately apparent I have done this many times before (sigh...).
Elizabeth
bi...@mix.com
Elizabeth & Keith Falkner <falk...@home.com> writes:
> Does anyone know if 30 roots of fresh wasabi are worth $75 a pound,
> especially if they yield only 2 scant cups of grated wasabi?
Two cups is a LOT of wasabi. The price is high but even in Japan
wasabi roots are not very cheap. A little goes a long way...
If you've noticed giant bowls of it in restruants that's because
they're made up from the powder and that's much cheaper.
> Does anyone in this group have the experience able to critique fresh
> wasabi vs. the powdered or tubed kind?
I believe the powdered stufff is only partially wasabi - someone who
can read Japanese better than me will have to say for sure. I don't
know what happens when the roots go bad, they've never lasted me long
enough to find out. There is a big difference in taste - with fresh
wasabi you'll notice more of the subtle parts of it - it makes sushi
a lot more fun.
Billy Y..
RCarv...@aol.com
In article ,
bi...@mix.com wrote:
> > Does anyone in this group have the experience able to critique fresh
> > wasabi vs. the powdered or tubed kind?
Yes. I have been tasting different varieties of fresh wasabi on a weekly
basis for the past seven years and am willing to try answering any
specific questions you may have.
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RCarv...@aol.com
In article <64ieto$i...@bgtnsc03.worldnet.att.net>,
"Nobuyuki & Mari Nakajima" <nob...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>
> I don't think it's worth spending that kind of money on a little bit of
> fresh wasabi. A long, long time ago, when I was a teenager, I did have fresh
> wasabi with sashimi. Well, I remember it's different from the kind you
> usually get at a Japanese restaurant: More coarse texture, because you
> grate the root, and somewhat a little bit bitter. I prefer a tubed type
> than a powdered, because it tastes more fresh, and it doesn't cost much.
Fresh wasabi after careful analysis is not as expensive as it first
appears when we hear prices of $75 a pound. A pound is approximately 454
grams. Assuming an average rhizome weight of 75g, each pound contains
six fresh rhizomes. After deducting 10g for unusable petiole weight and
5g for grinding waste, the net usable weight is 60g. While the average
Japanese uses approximately 4.5g of wasabi per meal, the average US sushi
eater consumes about 10g per meal. Using 10g for purposes of analysis, a
75g rhizome rhizome costing $12.50 serves 6 people. $12.50 divided by 6
equals $2.08 per happy diner. I have found the extra $2.08 per meal a
good value for the fantastic flavor and pleasure added to the sushi
experience
With respect to the bitterness you experienced, this can generally happen
for two easily preventable reasons. First, try to use a shark skin
grater. It grinds the fresh rhizome into smaller particles thereby
rupturing more cell walls to release all of the flavor components
particularly hottness and sweetness. Do not use ginger graters; they do
not properly grind the fresh wasabi into small enough particles. Some
proper stainless steel wasabi graters are ok. Second, after grinding,
fresh wasabi should be compacted by hand into a ball shape (minimum
surface to mass ratio) and covered for approximately 5 minutes to allow
the full flavor, sweetness and hotness to develop. I hope your next
experience with fresh wasabi is most enjoyable as it should be.
As for the tubed "wasabi", the FDA ingredient label on the tube's box
says it all and it's not pleasant reading.
Norm
RCarv...@aol.com wrote:
>
> In article ,
> bi...@mix.com wrote:
> > > Does anyone in this group have the experience able to critique fresh
> > > wasabi vs. the powdered or tubed kind?
>
> Yes. I have been tasting different varieties of fresh wasabi on a weekly
> basis for the past seven years and am willing to try answering any
> specific questions you may have.
I read your other post and you seem to know alot about wasabi so here's
a question you might be able to answer. Tubed wasabi (like s&b) versus
powdered wasabi. What tastes more like the real thing? Also - if you
can't buy fresh, what particular brand (powdered or tubed) would you
suggest others use?
Regards,
Norm Delson
Atlanta, GA