Wasabi Grater

The wasabi grater is an excellent kitchen tool to finely grate your fresh wasabi rhizome.  One striking difference is that it does not have any holes in it compared to a cheese grater.  Therefore, it does not allow herbs or vegetables to be pushed through to the other side and potentially wasted.  This allows a platform to generate the aromatic flavours and heat to assemble the wasabi into a small pile of wasabi paste.

In order to grate the wasabi rhizome, also known as wasabi root you must hold the rhizome and move it against the grater in circular motions to create a sufficient amount of the wasabi paste.

This stainless steel wasabi grater can also be used for ginger, horseradish and garlic and other items. The grating surface is approximately size: 11.1 cm (wide) x 7.1cm (Length).

The grater functions by breaking the wasabi’s internal structure down to the cellular level.  This enables other compounds in different parts of the cells to react with each other resulting in an enzyme reaction that initiates the wasabi paste’s flavour and pungency.

It is important to know that once you have grated a portion of the rhizome into a paste, the peak of the heat of the paste will be around 5 minutes to reach.  After approximately 20 minute it will begin to reduce its potency.  Then only grate the wasabi when required.  If you grate a more considerable amount, you can parcel up a small portion of the wasabi paste in cling film and store it in the freezer until further use.

Another useful accessory to remove the wasabi paste from the grater is to use a wasabi bamboo brush that you can purchase from the Wasabi Crop Shop.  Another advantage of the wasabi brush is that you can use it to mix the wasabi paste.  In addition you could repeat this process with garlic, ginger and horseradish.

The sushi expert uses a Samegawa grater which is made from sharkskin and is used to grate wasabi.   The sharkskin grater can produce a superfine paste enabling to the wasabi root’s unique and special flavour.