For us, wasabi powder is one of those ingredients we bought for a specific recipe and then thought, "Huh. Ok, now what?" It's a pretty product to have on the shelf, with its pale, lemony-lime green color, but we rarely use it. That's a shame, really, because it adds a sharp heat that is great in a lot of dishes.
Wasabi powder is the dried form of Japanese horseradish that is commonly seen as a paste on the side of your sushi plate. In fact, you can add water to wasabi powder to form your own paste at home.
We've used wasabi powder on fish, mostly tuna, but you can add it to mashed potatoes, eggs, or salad dressings. It has the intense kick you know from eating the paste, but it's easy to get a mellow flavor when you mix it into a sauce or marinade. It's a good option for adding heat without using chiles or red pepper flakes, and it goes well with creamy things (mixed into mayonnaise, added to a dip) that tone it down.
Most wasabi powders are not pure, 100 percent wasabi root. They have some mustard mixed in, which adds to the biting, tangy flavor.
A few recipes to try:
• Wasabi Dip, from Paula Deen.
• Fresh Tuna Salad, from Ina Garten.
• Avocado Wasabi Salad, from Vegan Yum Yum.
• Cucumbers with Wasabi and Rice Vinegar, from Gourmet.
• Salmon with Soy-Honey and Wasabi Sauces, from Gourmet.
Anyone have a favorite use for wasabi powder?
Related: From the Spice Cupboard: Chinese Five-Spice Powder
(Images: The Spice House; Amazon)
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Once on "The Nanny", Fran Fine goes into a Japanese restaurant and unknowingly puts a huge dollup of wasabi on her meal. Two seconds later, her very nasal voice is as clear as a bell!
Well believe it or not, I've tried wasabi flavoured cheese. It was Landaner or Landana or something like that. It definitely needs some time getting used to that taste, but it was really interesting. I guess I'm biased a bit negatively against it now that I've tasted pesto flavoured cheese from that same company. (My total favourite now :D ) Then again I think you can use wasabi anywhere you'd use mustard or horseradish but for example mixed with sour cream, ricotta or something like that for it is quite strong.
I just bought some powder two days ago to make wasabi mashed potatoes. Super delicious!
I make a wasabi mayo sauce for shrimp or salmon, it is very good:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
soy sauce to taste
1/2 tps sugar
2 tps fresh lemon juice
dash of vinegar (your choice)
wasabi to taste
whip it up and you are good to go.
I have also used it in alfredo sauce with seafood.
I remember that episode of "The Nanny!" I don't care how much people hate her (her voice IS annoying), I will never stop loving that show. :-)
For those who might be a bit adventurous: how about a limoncello cocktail w/ wasabi powder as a mixer? ;)