What is wasabi - definition

Japanese cuisine has long become for many, almost everyday. Some people do not imagine a day without at least one meal in the style of the country of the Rising Sun. However, even if you are not a fan of this cooking, but you love spicy and spicy, you must have come across Japanese condiments and know what is wasabi.

Our ideas about seasoning

As in many exotic terms, there are many misconceptions. For some reason, the answer to the question "what is wasabi" is: Japanese green horseradish. Maybe that's how our sense of humor affects, maybe the people are genuinely mistaken. In any case, the authentic plant from which this very spicy seasoning is made, from the point of view of botany refers to the cabbage family. At the same time, it is used at home as widely as we have mustard, and has a really poisonous-green color. A distinctive property of the plant is also that it grows exclusively in Japan.

Where does the real wasabi come from? Attempts to cultivate it

In the place where the source grows, the main drawback of the seasoning lies. In climatic preferences the plant is very whimsical: the temperature should not fall below + 10 and exceed +17 degrees Celsius. At the same time the land should be exceptionally wet, but not because of regular precipitation (as an option - watering), but thanks to the mountain springs. The result: the obtained spice is so expensive that it is widely used in kind only at home.

Knowing what is wasabi and how much this plant is not available, lovers of Japanese cooking made repeated attempts to grow it in a greenhouse. Carefully observing the temperature regime and lovingly caring for the plants, they achieve very good results - and thus the seasoning turns out to be much cheaper. However, of course, the spring water supply from the mountains can not provide gardeners-gardeners. Probably, therefore, gourmets, who know exactly what is wasabi, say that the cultivated plant does not fully correspond to the taste qualities of the original one.

What do they offer in restaurants?

What is attached to sushi and rolls in Japanese restaurants, eateries and cafes in Russia is a weak semblance of a real seasoning. It is made from a composition that includes wasabi powder (on it goes wasabi-daikon) and a poisonous-green dye. In cases where a relaxed taste is required, the mixture is added, oddly enough, with mustard. The seasoning obtained in this way is very close to wasabi, but for a person who has not tried it in the original.

What can I do by myself?

Understanding what is wasabi, it is not difficult to come to the conclusion that this seasoning can be done at home. Especially nice is the solution for those who have already adapted themselves in the kitchen to cook sushi and found them more delicious than those served in a nearby Japanese restaurant. The more pleasant it is that the recipe for wasabi is not complicated, and the only possible difficulty is to buy its powder. And quality! It is desirable that, in addition to the crushed root of the said plant, cornmeal and dry mustard, it does not include too much additional ingredients.

The dishes intended for preparation of the sauce should be small and, preferably, transparent - so it will be possible to follow the density of the stirred mass. Pour a small amount of wasabi into the container - a lot of all the same immediately you can not eat. Water (clean, without gas, better boiled) is added dropwise, and the mixture is constantly mixed. Usually the ratio of powder: water is 2: 3, but if wasabi is damp, less fluid will be needed. When the consistency of the seasoning resembles a soft plastic clay, there is enough water already. Overdo it - the seasoning will be too liquid, you have to add the powder, wasabi will remain "for later", and it is tasty freshly prepared.