Proper way to eat Wasabi?

Question

Is there a proper way to eat Wasabi? I'm wondering because everytime I eat it...I feel like it's burning my brain!

Answer 1

The best way to enjoy the full flavor of Fresh Wasabi is to spread a little on the fish and then dip the fish side of the sushi into soy sauce so that the sauce does not touch the Wasabi. Good Fresh Wasabi and Wasabi paste does not just have add spicy hotness, and sweetness but also a gentle fragrance to assist the taste of fresh fish with soy sauce.

Many diners, however, prefer to mix the Wasabi paste with soy sauce, called "Wasabi-joyu," and use this as a dipping sauce for the raw fish, or mix the Wasabi directly into a bowl of noodles.

Tofu topped with soy sauce and Wasabi paste is an example of another traditional food using Wasabi. Wasabi leaves pickled in sake brine or soy sauce are popular accompaniments to white rice. It should be pointed out that a considerable amount of the volatile aroma and taste of the Wasabi paste would be lost when mixed with soy sauce or a heated dish.

Answer 2

The only one who has given an accurate answer so far is "shine". Just because most people around you do something the same way doesn't necessarily make their way correct. You can do whatever you like in your own country but at the risk of picking up bad habits that may raise eyebrows when you go elsewhere. But in Japan they'll likely be too polite to correct you, in their mind simply excusing foreigners for their to-be-expected 'barbarian ways'. Mixing shoyu (soy sauce) & wasabi is only for sashimi. And you should only lightly dip the fish side of sushi into shoyu, never the rice side and don't dunk. The rice is already seasoned with rice vinegar, salt & sugar and so more sodium through excessive shoyu is overkill. The key is balance in the taste, so too much shoyu or wasabi simply defeats the whole purpose. Many people will dismiss such attention to details as being "silly & picky", but this is just basic respect for other cultures that have been around a lot longer than you have & which is part of their appeal. If the famous Japanese tea ceremony is just dunking a modern teabag into hot water, would anyone want to watch it?

Answer 3

I once saw TV chef extraordinaire Jamie Oliver use wasabi like this and it looked delish...

Marinate a fillet of salmon or tuna in a plastic Glad wrap (zip lock) bah wtih sweet cooking rice wine (Mirim), soy sauce and wasabi... no real ration of wine:soy:wasabi, but perhaps 2:5:3, depending on taste.

leave it in the fridge for however long you think it needs (at least two to three hours).

pan fry it lightly using olive oil on each side for a few seconds (just charing the surface)... cool it and slice it into small slices (should be pink on the inside, still raw).

serve on a plate with chopped ginger and more soy sauce and wasabi for a dipping sauce.

delish

Answer 4

Everytime when i eat Japanese food, there is always some wasabi, so i'll mix it with the soy sauce n dip the sushi to taste.

Answer 5

Mix a little in with your soy sauce, or just touch it with your chopsick and you'll get enough heat. Wasabi is cool though, the heat rises in your mouth and is gone within 30 seconds.

Answer 6

just mix a little bit in soy sauce, if you eat the whole thing then it'll really feel like your brain's burning. :-)

Answer 7

mix it with a bit of cream cheese. the dairy helps to bring down its spicyness :)
it makes an awesome spread inside wraps, just fyi :)

Answer 8

I like a little bit of it on my California Roll Sushi. YUMM!!!