Wasabi is a Japanese condiment best known for gracing a picture-perfect plate of sushi—and for being hot. Real hot. Just a dab on the edge of a chopstick is all that is needed to deliver its one-of-a-kind pungent flavor, which tastes somewhat like Chinese hot mustard. That fiery flavor is a sign of a healing spice at work.
Wasabi is also called Japanese horseradish, and it’s in the same botanical family as horseradish: the brassica, which includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale. Crucifers are loaded with compounds called isothiocyanates (ITCs), which research shows are anti-cancer. The ITCs uniquely found in wasabi are responsible for its sinus-clearing heat—and may have the power to protect you against cancer.
Making It Too Hot for Cancer
Animal and test tube studies show that wasabi might be as tough on cancer as other notable cancer-fighters in the cruciferous family, such as broccoli.
Breast cancer. Japanese researchers found that an ITC in wasabi could stop the growth of breast cancer cells in a test tube, and also kill the cells. The wasabi ITC, the researchers concluded, “is a new possible candidate for controlling cancer cells.” The results were in Cancer Detection and Prevention.
Stopping metastasis. Metastasis is the spread of cancer from its original site to other sites in the body. When Japanese researchers injected the lungs of experimental animals with skin cancer cells, they found that pretreating with an ITC from wasabi stopped the growth of those cells by 82 percent. “Wasabi appears to not only inhibit tumor cell growth, but also tumor metastasis,” wrote the researchers in the journal Cancer Detection and Prevention. “Wasabi is apparently a useful dietary candidate for controlling tumor progression,” they concluded.
Stomach cancer. In another Japanese study, researchers induced stomach cancer in experimental animals and divided them into two groups, giving one group wasabi. The non-wasabi animals developed four times as many tumors. Stomach cancer “was suppressed by the administration of wasabi,” wrote the researchers in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.
Colon cancer. In test tube research, scientists from Michigan State University found that compounds in wasabi inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells by up to 68 percent, lung cancer cells by up to 71 percent, and stomach cancer cells by up to 44 percent.
Too Much Wasabi?Biting into a really hot chile can be tongue-torching experience, but that’s nothing compared to an encounter with too much wasabi.
There have been a few reports of serious reactions in people who have naively consumed wasabi as if it were a vegetable rather than a condiment. Though it reportedly can cause pallor, profuse sweating, choking-like cough, and sometimes confusion and even collapse, there is no reported death by wasabi (even though there is a movie by that name). An overdose of wasabi, however, is a risk to people with weakened blood vessels, such as those who have had a heart attack or stroke, and people with type 2 diabetes.
If you’ve literally bitten off more than you can chew, try to stay calm, and begin breathing through the mouth to avoid drawing the irritants into the lungs. The heat dissipates rather quickly and doesn’t linger as it does with chile. Nor does it “reheat” if you try to wash it away with water or beer.
Leukemia. Japanese researchers found wasabi could stop the growth of leukemia cells, and concluded the spice was “potentially useful as a natural anti-cancer agent.”
Say Sayonara to Disease
There are many other ways that this Japanese spice can protect your health.
Food poisoning. Studies show that wasabi is a natural defender against E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, bacteria that cause food poisoning. (Wasabi was first introduced into Japanese cuisine to cut down on the risk of food poisoning from raw fish.)
Ulcers. The bacteria Helicobacter pylori are the cause of most stomach ulcers, and a persistent H. pylori infection increases the risk of stomach cancer. Several studies show that ITC and other compounds in wasabi kill these bacteria.
High cholesterol. In an animal experiment, Australian researchers found that wasabi could decrease “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase “good” HDL cholesterol.
Tooth decay. Japanese researchers found that the ITCs in wasabi inhibit the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities.
Blood clots. Researchers isolated an ITC in wasabi that is 10 times more powerful than aspirin in preventing blood clots, an artery-plugging cause of heart attack and stroke.
TO MAKE WASABI PASTE, JAPANESE CHEFS GRIND THE PEELED ROOT ON A SHARKSKIN GRATER CALLED AN OROSHI, THEN SQUEEZE THE GRATINGS INTO A PASTE.Osteoporosis. In animal research, scientists found that wasabi contains compounds that can increase bone density.
Eczema (atopic dermatitis). An extract of wasabi reduced scratching behavior in animals bred to have an eczema-like condition. The wasabi also cut down on the immune components that produce itching and inflammation. The results were in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology.
Getting to Know Wasabi
Americans familiar with wasabi know it as a condiment that goes with raw fish served as sushi (with rice) or sashimi (without rice), but in Japan it’s used as commonly as ketchup is in the United States.
In Japan, it is used as a condiment on teriyaki dishes and noodles, and it is often added to dips, sauces, dressings, and marinades. A popular pickle called wasabi zuke is made by taking all parts of the wasabi plant—leaves, flowers, leafstalks, and the ground roots—and combining them with salt water and sake. You can even find wasabi wine (though it’s mostly sold as a novelty), and wasabi liqueur, known for its high alcohol content.
The Japanese prize wasabi for its taste, but also for its aesthetic value. Food presentation is a big part of the Japanese dining experience, and the brilliantly bright green paste is often used to accent the ornamentally sculpted vegetables that adorn a Japanese dinner plate or buffet.
In Japan, making wasabi paste is an art. Chefs peel the root, then finely grate it on a sharkskin grater called an oroshi. The root is kept at a 90-degree angle to the grater in order to minimize the release of volatile oils and to produce the best flavor and texture. The gratings are then squeezed to form a paste.
Fresh wasabi is a rare taste treat you’ll only find in Japan or fine restaurants in the West. It has a sweet and milder flavor than the paste, and is grated on a variety of dishes just like fresh cheese is grated on pasta in Italian restaurants.
Wasabi grows wild alongside mountain streams. The root is used for the spice.Wasabi may help prevent and/or treat:
Asthma
Blood clots
Cancer
Cholesterol problems (high “bad” LDL cholesterol, low “good” HDL cholesterol)
Eczema
Food poisoning
Osteoporosis
Tooth decay
Ulcer
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Wasabi pairs well with these spices:
Almond
Bay leaf
Coriander
Garlic
Mustard seed
Onion
Parsley
Sesame seed
Sun-dried tomato
and complements recipes featuring:
Meats
Noodles
Raw or cooked fish
Rice
Seafood
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Other recipes containing wasabi:
Sesame Seared Tuna with Pickled Ginger and Vanilla Slaw
The wasabi plant (once referred to as wild ginger) is somewhat rare, growing wild alongside cool mountain streams in parts of Japan where temperatures typically hover in the mid-50s. The popularity of Japanese cuisine during the last 20 years has sparked the interest in cultivating the plant, and wasabi is now grown in Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, China, and Oregon. New Zealand is developing an excellent reputation for top-notch cultivation of the plant, which is even exported to Japan. A study conducted in New Zealand found the ITC content of New Zealand wasabi was greater than Japanese wasabi.
Because the spice is difficult to cultivate, and because of the time involved in growing a plant to maturity, wasabi is expensive compared to its more common cousin, American horseradish. And (prepare to be disillusioned) because of high cost and high demand, the wasabi served in the typical sushi bar in towns and malls across America is not true wasabi. Rather, it is powdered American horseradish, colored with spinach or spirulina, and reconstituted with water. Unless you’ve been to Japan and eaten in a high-end Japanese restaurant, odds are that you’ve never tasted true wasabi. It takes an experienced palate—and at least one experience with true wasabi—to recognize the difference between the real thing and the wasabi you get in the typical sushi bar. They both share the same pungency, but that’s where the similarity ends.
How to Buy True Wasabi
The “wasabi” sold in the United States comes as a paste in a small tube or powdered in a small tin. The wasabi sold in tubes is American or European horseradish, so your search for true wasabi should be limited to wasabi powder.
The only way you’ll be able to tell what you are buying is by checking the label. Wasabi powder made in Japan can be found in Asian markets and in the Oriental section of many major supermarkets. Just because wasabi comes under a Japanese label, however, doesn’t mean it is true wasabi. Genuine wasabi products contain only wasabi and will not have mustard, horseradish, or dyes listed in the ingredients.
True wasabi can be purchased online. You will find sources for true wasabi in the “Buyer’s Guide”.
In the Kitchen with Wasabi
Wasabi couldn’t be simpler to make. Just take a teaspoon of the powder and mix it with a teaspoon or so of water until it is the consistency of paste. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes for the flavor to develop. Keep it covered to retain the flavor. Wasabi is highly perishable, so make only as much as you are planning to use.
There are many ways to enjoy wasabi other than as a condiment for sushi. Here are some suggestions:
• Use it as you would mustard, as a condiment for cooked and cured meats such as ham, pot roast, and corned beef.
• Use it as you would cocktail sauce for raw clams and oysters or for shrimp cocktail. (Just remember to only use a little bit.)
• Spice up the taste of cocktail sauce even more by adding a pinch of wasabi powder.
• Make wasabi mashed potatoes by added wasabi powder to your traditional recipe. Figure about 1 tablespoon wasabi powder per 3 pounds of potatoes.
• Make a wasabi mayonnaise by adding 1 teaspoon of powdered wasabi and a squirt of lemon juice to ½ cup of regular mayonnaise and use it on sandwiches. It is particularly tasty on ham sandwiches.
• Make a wasabi vinaigrette by combining 1 tablespoon wasabi paste with 1 tablespoon each of mayonnaise, mirin, and rice vinegar.
• Substitute wasabi paste for some of the mustard in deviled eggs.
• Make a piquant compound butter by combining ¼ cup each of wasabi powder and dried chives with ½ cup of softened butter. Form into the shape of a cylinder and chill. Slice off butter-pat-sized pieces and melt over grilled tuna or salmon. Or rub into a whole chicken before roasting.
• Try wasabi paste in place of horseradish or Tabasco in a Bloody Mary.
• Snack on wasabi peas. The peas are fried or roasted, then covered with a combination of wasabi and other seasonings and baked until the shell is stiff. Here you know you’re getting true wasabi.
Wasabi Orange Chicken with Toasted AlmondsThe amount of wasabi in this recipe sounds like a lot, but the sting dissipates when it is mixed with all the other ingredients. In fact, if you love wasabi and hot food, you might want to add even more, since the amount used here offers only a slight tang. You can serve this over mixed greens garnished with cilantro springs or as a sandwich on a baguette. If the international section of your local market does not have black vinegar, you can find it at an Asian market or substitute balsamic vinegar.
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
1 eleven-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained and diced
4 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, preferably black
½ cup low-fat mayonnaise
1½ tablespoons wasabi paste
1 teaspoon black vinegar or balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1. Combine the diced chicken, mandarin oranges, scallions, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Heat a small, dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat and lightly coat with ½ teaspoon of the canola oil. Add the almond slices and lightly toast, stirring with a wooden spoon, for one to two minutes. Remove to a plate to cool. Add the sesame seeds to the same skillet and dry roast, shaking the pan back and forth so the seeds do not burn. Remove to a plate to cool. Add to the chicken mixture and stir.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, wasabi, black vinegar, and sesame oil. Blend into the chicken mixture. Refrigerator at least two hours to let flavors meld before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
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