Wasabi powder - the great pretender!

I made the mistake of putting too much on a piece of kappa-maki. That innocent looking green blob on my plate was sooo hot it brought me to tears and almost to my knees. I thought I was dying!

You've probably recovered from a similar situation and learned to use it in moderation.

No one can deny the importance of wasabi as an ingredient in sushi.

Wasabi powder or wasabi paste?

Wasabi horseradish comes in a powdered form and as a paste in small tubes. I prefer the latter. I find it tastes a lot better. It is also easier to use. Just squirt it out of the tube.

Did you know that both of these types of wasabi are actual pretending to be the real thing?

Wasabi horseradish, which is only grown in Japan, is so expensive, that most restaurants only use the "fake" stuff.

Powders and the paste typically contain plain horseradish, mustard seed and green food coloring.

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