How to use

The art of the grater

Fresh wasabi rewards a little ritual. A few minutes of care turns a knobbly green root into a sweet, fragrant, fleeting heat.

Grating

Five steps to perfect paste

1
Rinse the rhizome and scrape off the knobbly leaf nodes at the top with the back of a knife.
2
Hold it upright and grate the top end on a sharkskin (samegawa) grater in slow, gentle circles.
3
Grate only what you need — about a teaspoon per person.
4
Gather the paste with a brush or knife into a small mound and let it rest 2–3 minutes.
5
Serve within 15 minutes, while aroma and sweetness are at their peak.

Storage

Wrap in a damp paper towel, then cling film. Keeps 2–4 weeks; rinse weekly.

Stand it in a glass of cold water in the fridge, changing water daily.

Freeze whole for up to 3 months and grate from frozen — flavor stays surprisingly good.

Pairings

Raw fish

Sashimi, sushi, poke

Beef

Steak, roast beef, wagyu

Noodles

Cold soba and zaru udon

Rice

Ochazuke, onigiri

Dairy

Butter, cream sauces, ice cream

Vegetables

Avocado, cucumber, tofu

Etiquette

• Don't stir wasabi into soy sauce — place a little directly on the fish instead.
• With nigiri, the chef often adds wasabi between fish and rice already.
• Dip the fish side, not the rice, into the soy sauce.
• Add wasabi to hot dishes only at the very end; heat kills its aroma.