Wasabi

japanese · spicy · plants

Plant with a Kick. Wasabi is a special plant from Japan that grows along cold mountain streams. When you eat it, the heat shoots up into your nose and makes your eyes water, even though it's not actually hot like chili peppers.

Mountain Stream Lover. Wasabi grows naturally in the mountain river valleys of Japan, Russia's Far East, and Korea, where it likes cool, flowing water. It's so picky about its growing conditions that it's hard to farm, which makes real wasabi pretty expensive.

Cabbage's Spicy Cousin. Wasabi belongs to the same plant family as cabbage, broccoli, horseradish, and mustard. Even though they look and taste totally different, they're all related and share some of the same sharp, spicy kick.

Sushi's Perfect Match. Wasabi is traditionally mixed into a paste and served with sushi and sashimi to add a zingy flavor. A tiny dab is all you need because a little bit of wasabi goes a very long way.