Martin Yan - WASABI

"The more you understand the ingredients, the better cook you will become."
-Martin Yan

These are common ingredients found in local cuisine. You can find these ingredients readily available in your local supermarket.

WASABI

If you've eaten sashimi or sushi, you've probably tasted wasabi, one of the strongest spices used in Japanese cooking. Served as a paste, the pale green color looks cool and refreshing, but don't let that fool you. Wasabi is a fiery hot Japanese horseradish, and a little goes a long way. Fresh wasabi root is available in Asian markets, but wasabi powders and prepared wasabi paste are more commonly used in Japanese kitchens.

To mix the powder into a paste, blend in enough water to make a thick creamy mixture. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes before serving. One tablespoon of powder makes enough paste to serve four people as a condiment. When eating sushi and sashimi, each person adds wasabi to taste to his bowl of soy sauce.

A variety of powder-filled tins and tubes of pastes are available. Store powder in a cool, dry place for up to several months. Refrigerate opened tubes of paste and use as soon as possible as the flavor dissipates over time.