Fresh Wasabi Leaves & Wasabi Stems

How to use wasabi leaves and stems in your cooking

Japanese wasabi leaves are large, heart-shaped and have a wasabi flavour with a mild wasabi heat. In Japan, they’re popular when fried in tempura batter – but the leaves are also excellent when stir fried, sautéed or boiled with noodles and stews. Real wasabi is a member of the brassicaceae family, which also includes horseradish and mustard, and all parts of the plant have a fresh pungency.

Thinly sliced and dressed with one of our Japanese ponzus, wasabi leaves can make a rich, bold, citrus-dressed salad. Or for more delicate salad dressings, try a sprinkle of salt, some rice vinegar, soy sauce and a quality sesame oil.

Traditionally pickled in sake lees, wasabi stems have an excellent crunch with a radish and spring onion flavour when raw – an unusual accompaniment to sushi or sashimi alongside real wasabi paste. A wasabi stem also makes an excellent stirrer for a wasabi Bloody Mary.

How will my order be delivered?

Wasabi leaves are sent in 250g bunches with stems attached, allowing you to make use of both parts of this incredible plant in a variety of dishes and garnishes. Each bunch has 20-40 stems with leaves.

You can also order 30g of baby wasabi leaves, which carry a mild, peppery wasabi flavour with just a little pungency. Each leaf has a diameter of 3-7cm, with 20-30 leaves per punnet.

How to store fresh wasabi stem and leaves

To maintain freshness, store your wasabi leaves and stems in the fridge. Our standard leaves and stems will store well in the fridge for 7 days, and our baby wasabi leaves can be refrigerated for 5 days.