Fresh Wasabi Kits

The ingredients in the wasabi rhizome that react with each other to produce the distinctive real wasabi flavour and pungency do not come into contact unless cell walls are broken down. The grating action on the right kind of wasabi grater will give you the necessary result and ensure you get the best of the real wasabi flavour. It may be tempting to try chopping or coarse grating the wasabi rhizome. Don’t. This does not break down the wasabi into a paste and so will not release the flavour or heat.

Fresh wasabi is best because nothing else is added to it to detract from its authentic flavour. Wasabi pastes and powders are mostly made up of horseradish, mustard powders, colourings and flavourings due to the difficulty of growing wasabi plants – especially outside Japan. In fact, some products called wasabi contain no actual wasabi! If you want to add authentic wasabi flavours to elevate your Japanese dishes, you need the real deal – not a horseradish paste marketed as wasabi!

If you store your fresh wasabi properly, it can last up to 2 or 3 weeks. Wondering how to store fresh wasabi? There are two recommended options. Fresh wasabi is best stored in a glass of water in the fridge. Change the water every day and keep the wasabi stems out of the water. Another option is to wrap your wasabi in a piece of muslin cloth and keep it in the fridge.

We don’t recommend freezing whole wasabi rhizomes, but you can freeze fresh wasabi paste if you freeze it right after grating. Wrap up the wasabi paste tightly with cling film before freezing it to ensure it’s protected from the air.