available fresh in the West; whole and partly
used roots keep for several weeks in the
refrigerator.
Most wasabi served in restaurants is in fact
ordinary dried horseradish powder, colored
green and reconstituted with water. It has a
similar pungency, but little else in common
with true wasabi. When the fresh stem is
grated a few minutes before the meal, it
releases more than 20 enzyme-generated
volatiles, some pungent, some oniony, some
green, some even sweet.
Dealing with an Overdose of Wasabi or
Horseradish
Though a mouthful of food overdosed with
chilli can be painful, it’s not as startling as
too much horseradish or wasabi, whose
volatile irritants can quickly get into the
airstream and cause a bout of coughing or
choking. These reactions can be minimized
by remembering to breathe out through the