3 ms·

Yeah, because the real deal costs $130 per pound: https://firstwefeast.com/eat/2014/09/real-wasabi-is-one-of-the-most-expensive-crops-on-the-planet https://firs

• grogenaut 8y ago
  It's apparently not that hard to grow in a hydroponic setup, it needs flowing water though. wonder why no one has done that.
  • splonk 8y ago
    Everything I've heard is that it's incredibly difficult to grow commercially. That said, there's a company in Half Moon Bay that's doing it. I can't say I've tried enough authentic Japanese wasabi to make a reasonable comparison with the locally grown version, but I can say that both are worlds better than the green goop you'll find in almost all Japanese restaurants. I know people who can't handle the spice level of "normal" wasabi but have no problem with the real stuff - there's more flavor there than just "spicy", although it still carries a fair amount of heat. The grated version also has both texture and aromatics that you won't get in wasabi from a tube.
    • grogenaut 8y ago
      At $100/lb I think you could probbably do quite well doing it in small batches at home as a hobby.
• hopler 8y ago
  Wasabi is expensive. Horseradish is cheap. Dying horesradish green is a tacky fraud.