Fresh wasabi root from Alishan in Taiwan

Thanks for the fresh wasabi root, friends V & I

Does fresh wasabi taste different for the usual wasabi served at restaurants? The answer is a resounding yes. I have tasted freshly grated wasabi root in Tokyo and some Japanese restaurants in Singapore. Freshly grated roots are a faint green colour, lightly scented, mild but still with a kick unlike the lurid green ones from tubed wasabi. Tubed wasabi is made from horse radish, mustard powder and colouring BTW.

Couple V and I gave us the fresh wasabi from Alishan, Taiwan. Friend I's mum (Friend I is taiwanese) who came to visit had a friend who grows wasabi in her backyard in Alishan, Taiwan. So here we are, fresh wasabi. I never knew wasabi grew in Taiwan. Apparently, Taiwan imports their better quality wasabi harvest to Japan. All that I learnt from Japan Hour is that these roots need to be grown in very clean, unpolluted water and cool weather. Thanks for the root. : P

What did we do with the wasabi? R bought sashimi from Mediya and volia, dinner.

R's chirasu don with the grated wasabi

Mine, isn't it nicely presented?

Grating the wasabi, but here's one from our meal in Beer Delica, Tokyo.

Oops, I have forgotten to take a pic of the grating process. But here's a pic of our meal at Beer Delica, Tokyo, an izakaya I posted about previously. Hmmm, in Singapore, fresh wasabi is usually eaten in upscale Japanese restaurants. But in Tokyo, these can be found at Izakayas (local drinking joints). Not that out of reach after all.

Read more about Wasabi here