Fresh Real Wasabi — Now at Sashimi DC
Starting this week, we are carrying fresh real Wasabi (本山葵, hon-wasabi) at the storefront. This is not the bright-green paste you've encountered at sushi restaurants — that product is almost universally a mixture of horseradish, mustard, and green food coloring with at most a trace of actual wasabi, if any. Real hon-wasabi is a different ingredient entirely.
Hon-wasabi is grated fresh from the rhizome of Wasabia japonica, a semi-aquatic plant that grows in cold, clean running water — traditionally along mountain stream banks in Japan. The heat it produces is volatile and fades quickly, typically within ten to fifteen minutes of grating. This is not a flaw; it is the nature of the compound (isothiocyanate) responsible for the heat. The result is a clean, bright sharpness that rises to the nose rather than burning the palate — you feel it behind the eyes, not in the back of the throat. It is more fragrant than hot.
The flavor beneath the heat is grassy, slightly sweet, and complex — nothing like horseradish. With fatty fish like Otoro or Sasshu Salmon, it cuts through richness without overwhelming the fish. With lean Akami, it adds a layer of herbaceous depth that the fish doesn't have on its own.
Fresh Wasabi is available at the storefront only — it doesn't ship well ungrated, and the window of peak flavor is short once it's been prepared. Come in, taste it alongside the fish, and understand why Japan has protected this ingredient with such care for centuries.
This Week's Fish
A strong week across the board:
- Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna — all cuts available. The seasonal fat content is climbing as water temperatures drop toward winter levels.
- Shimaaji (縞鯵, Striped Jack) from Ehime Prefecture — a premium white fish with clean, delicate flavor and a distinctive striped appearance. One of the more celebrated fish in Japanese cuisine; harder to source than most.
- Fujisan White Salmon from Shizuoka — back again in limited quantity.
- Kinmedai (金目鯛, Splendid Alphonsino) — a deep-sea red fish with sweet, rich white flesh. Excellent as sashimi or very lightly seared.
- Ikura Shoyuzuke — being marinated now, available Friday onward.
- Hokkaido Uni — a good deal this week; a few boxes will arrive Saturday. Reserve online.
How to grate Wasabi: Use a sharkskin grater (oroshi-gane) if you have one — the fine surface creates a paste rather than shreds. A fine Microplane works well as a substitute. Grate in slow circular motions, not back and forth. Use immediately — the flavor peaks within minutes. Never mix it into soy sauce; place a small amount directly on the fish before eating.