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Wasabi Leaves and Stems are traditionally used in Japanese cuisine for pickled sake lees. The crunchy large heart-shaped wasabi leaves and stems are delicious and highly in demand outside Japan. The heat of wasabi is more prominent in stems than leaves but overall the heat is always greater in the prized rhizome!
Contained within the wasabi leaves and stems are the natural products that give the wasabi kick with the associated health and nutritious benefits. When cooking the wasabi leaves and stems the heat will lessen and create a similar taste to spinach.
In some recipes, they are best used raw to spice up the salads and sandwiches or alternatively place them on your favourite steak, chicken or venison. For the simpler approach use them in stir-fries, sauté or boil with noodles and stews. Or combine with sesame oil for a more delicate dressing.
Traditionally pickled in sake lees, stems have an excellent crunch with a radish and spring onion flavour when raw. With a quick (20 minute) pickling solution of salt and sugar, the wasabi leaves and stems can be pickled to produce the famous Japanese dish Wasabi Zuke.
Remember wasabi leaves and stems can be eaten fresh, pickled or sautéed. They taste similar to mustard greens and contain heat. The stems are hotter than the leaf.
They work well in stews and casseroles and make an excellent stirrer for a wasabi Bloody Mary!
The succulent wasabi leaves and stems are harvested on the day of order and shipped in specially designed packaging to keep them at their maximum freshness. These wasabi leaves and stems are the Mazuma variety.
Storage
- Store your wasabi leaves and stems in a chilled place or a suitable refrigerator below 5°C.
- Wasabi Leaves and Stems store very well in the fridge for about 7
- Before use wash the wasabi leaves and stems in cold water, leave them moist; store them in the bag provided or something similar.
- You can always perk them up by just placing them in a vase of freshwater – regularly replace the water and keep the wasabi leaves and stems out of direct sunlight.
What better touch for your next dinner party than a wasabi leaf-stem salad!
Enjoy your fresh wasabi leaves and stems from Wasabi Crop
I’m Sofia Kitson, the Wasabi Crop Blogger. My interests are writing articles on growing and cooking with wasabi.