Post by maya55555 on Aug 31, 2020 3:55:24 GMT
www.quora.com/In-Japanese-food-how-can-I-differentiate-real-wasabi-from-fake-wasabi-based-on-taste-and-appearance
Dave Yakubik, I'm a sushi enthusiast who has eaten at several of the top restaurants in Tokyo.
Answered April 11, 2016 · Author has 57 answers and 175.3K answer views
Originally Answered: Japanese Food: How can I differentiate real wasabi from fake?
You can tell by just looking at it:
The first one is a grated root. It should be moist, as you would imagine finely-minced carrot to be. The second is essentially edible play-dough made out of water and powder.
These photos are taken from the same restaurant. If you order a sushi meal set, they give you the fake stuff. If you order sashimi, they'll give you the real stuff. I think this makes a lot of sense because the only people who add wasabi to nigiri are those who don't really know what they're doing with sushi anyway, and are likely to be unable to tell the difference or care. You're not supposed to add wasabi to nigiri because the chef is supposed to incorporate the proper amount within the construction. They'll also give you the fake stuff if you only order rolls. In Japan it might be proper to add real wasabi to a roll, depending on the roll, but people who order rolls in the US generally have no idea what place rolls occupy in authentic Japanese sushi and don't approach them with the same mindset. Again, they're good candidates for the fake stuff.
In my experience, it's pretty commonplace for US places to have both, and for them to only offer the real stuff for certain dishes or certain price points.
Dave Yakubik, I'm a sushi enthusiast who has eaten at several of the top restaurants in Tokyo.
Answered April 11, 2016 · Author has 57 answers and 175.3K answer views
Originally Answered: Japanese Food: How can I differentiate real wasabi from fake?
You can tell by just looking at it:
The first one is a grated root. It should be moist, as you would imagine finely-minced carrot to be. The second is essentially edible play-dough made out of water and powder.
These photos are taken from the same restaurant. If you order a sushi meal set, they give you the fake stuff. If you order sashimi, they'll give you the real stuff. I think this makes a lot of sense because the only people who add wasabi to nigiri are those who don't really know what they're doing with sushi anyway, and are likely to be unable to tell the difference or care. You're not supposed to add wasabi to nigiri because the chef is supposed to incorporate the proper amount within the construction. They'll also give you the fake stuff if you only order rolls. In Japan it might be proper to add real wasabi to a roll, depending on the roll, but people who order rolls in the US generally have no idea what place rolls occupy in authentic Japanese sushi and don't approach them with the same mindset. Again, they're good candidates for the fake stuff.
In my experience, it's pretty commonplace for US places to have both, and for them to only offer the real stuff for certain dishes or certain price points.
