Shizuoka Fresh Wasabi Root 静岡新鮮山葵
Shizuoka Fresh Wasabi Root 静岡新鮮山葵
わさび (静岡産)
ワサビにも品種があります。大きく分けて赤茎系の真妻(マヅマ)という品種と、青茎系の正緑(マサミドリ)、丸一(マルイチ)などの種類です。真妻は生育が遅く、植え付けてから1年半~2年と収穫まで日数がかかります。青茎系は「実生(みしょう)系」ともいい、生育が早く植え付けてから1年~1年3ヵ月ほどで収穫できる品種です。茎の部分が紫色をしているほうが真妻で、緑色だけのものが実生です。
わさびは、アブラナ科の植物に属す日本の固有種だ。根茎部分をすりおろすと清涼感のある辛味が生じるため、鮨、刺身、そばなどの薬味として、古くから和食に欠かせない食材となっている。近年は肉料理にも用途が広がり、香辛料としての評価も世界レベルになりつつある。
Wasabi has grown wild in Japan’s mountains for thousands of years with full-scale cultivation beginning nearly 500 years ago. The plant needs very specific conditions in order to grow: North-facing, stable weather conditions with an abundance of cold and clean flowing water.
While there are countless types of wasabi, Mazuma Wasabi 真妻(まづま・赤茎)has been ranked as the greatest of all. It has the perfect balance of sweetness stickiness and wasabi's pungent aroma. The stem of Mazuma wasabi is a reddish-purple color, so you can recognize it immediately. Mazuma is grown from root division, unlike the seedlings that use young plants grown from seeds. Cultivation is also difficult and requires 2 to 3 years, where as Misho Wasabi 実生(みしょう・青茎) takes about 1 year. Therefore mazuma yields a higher value then misho. The misho wasabi has a sharper flavor then the mazuma, where as mazuma has a deep, gentle spice.
Short term storage: Wrap wasabi with a damped power towel then saran wrap it. Store it in the vegetable compartment inside the fridge. it will be good for up to 2 weeks.
Health benefit of fresh wasabi from McGill!