[cxcorp]

The article mentions that it's "usually white horseradish, dyed green", and that the real thing "can cost more per pound than even the choice tuna it sits on."

Would be interesting to verifiably taste real wasabi. Who knows, maybe I've never actually even tasted the real thing?

[ChrisMarshallNY]

I've had it, in Tokyo.

They give you a root, and a grater. Tastes milder than what we get, here.

I have heard that it is impossible to domesticate (has to be harvested wild, on certain mountains). However, I watched a program, where a guy in Hawai'i said he'd figured out how to domesticate it.

Haven't heard much about that, though.

[HybridCurve]

It's a difficult plant to grow as it requires specific conditions. Though there are farms in the pacific northwest that have been able to cultivate it successfully.

Here is a decent paper that discusses the challenges[PDF]:

https://www.skagitmg.org/wp-content/uploads/Public-Pages/Foo...

[woolion]

It's still very hard to grow with high failure rates, but you can definitely find plants for affordable prices -- a bit less than 10$, but then you need to manage to keep it alive for 3 years if you want to enjoy it propagate it. There are a number of good YT videos on how to cultivate it, and some documentaries on professional plantations.

To have it the spiciest you should wait a good ten minutes or more, the spiciness is activated by the process: "The chemical in wasabi that provides for its initial pungency is the volatile compound allyl isothiocyanate, which is produced by hydrolysis of allyl glucosinolate [...]; the hydrolysis reaction is catalyzed by myrosinase and occurs when the enzyme is released on cell rupture caused by grating" (adapted from wikipedia)

[Sebguer]

It can be grown in the PNW, in America. There are a few farms, e.g. https://www.thewasabistore.com/the-farm-1

[jandrewrogers]

It is difficult to grow but there are multiple producers in the US, and I've occasionally seen it for sale in grocery stores. Some sushi places use it. It is more expensive than the green horseradish/mustard powder, but not prohibitively so.

You can taste the difference but in most contexts it is pretty substitutable with the fake wasabi, hence the ubiquity of the latter.

[pyaamb]

I'm curious as to why its not possible to grow locally given the growing number of startups growing food in cities in fully controlled environments? for ex: https://youtu.be/VxRNoSSkLkE?t=191

[haffi112]

It has been grown in Iceland: https://www.nordicwasabi.com/

[kawera]

It's cultivated in Brazil too, although in a very small scale: (in portuguese) https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/comida/2022/02/wasabi-verdadei...

[lotophage]

In addition to the previously mentioned places, it is grown in Tasmania, Australia too (https://shimawasabi.com.au/pages/about).

[appplication]

I’ve found real wasabi to actually be a bit milder than some of the horseradish imitators. I suppose I always assumed it’d be even stronger, but that hasn’t been the case in my experience.

[dfxm12]

If you don't see the sushi chef grinding a little green root fresh on a wasabi grinder and adding a little bit to your rice, it's safe to assume it's not Japanese wasabi.

[tayo42]

If you have a Japanese food market near you they might have it. Some specialty grocers can carry it too. If you happen to be in the bay area iirc there's a Wasabi farm in half moon bay.

[petesoper]

Real wasabi powder runs vaguely $5 an ounce. Wasabi is a different species than horseradish. The taste is quite different.

[petesoper]

Scratch the price remark as I just caught up to the "99% is fake" data. Sigh.

[LargoLasskhyfv]

Bought a small tube of that a few days ago. Contains 0.7% Wasabi :-)