Vegetable
Eutrema japonicum
S tier
Eutrema japonicum is true wasabi—a shade-loving brassica whose thickened stem (rhizome-like) is grated to a volatile green paste with clean heat that hits the nose then fades. Far rarer than dyed horseradish imitations. Flavour is herbal, sweet-hot, and fleeting. Grate fresh on sharkskin or fine grater at table; serve with sashimi. Species covers cultivated hon-wasabi. Keep rhizomes cool and moist; heat dies minutes after grating.
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Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Fresh Table GrateLight DressingSashimiSoba Dip SpikeSushi
Traits
Clean HeatFleeting PasteHerbal HotShade Stream CropSpecies Primary TrueSpecies UmbrellaTrue RhizomeVolatile Nasal Heat
History
JP
Japanese mountain streams supported wild and early cultivated wasabi.
JP
Wasabi became essential to sushi and sashimi culture.
Global sushi spread demand; fakes often replaced true E. japonicum.
Authentic wasabi farms outside Japan expanded carefully.