Wasabi soy sauce contains wasabi powder or paste.
Wasabi soy sauce is a combination of soy sauce and wasabi paste or powder. In most cases, this creation is made at home or mixed by one person at dinner. The amount of wasabi used in the mix depends on individual tastes, as it has a strong, spicy flavor. A wasabi soy sauce can be mixed before use or the food can be dipped separately into the wasabi paste and then into the soy sauce.
Traditional soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans, aspergillus, salt, and water.
True wasabi is a pungent root-like plant, part of the mustard family and native to Japan. The entire plant can be used for flavoring, but it is the root part that is ground into the familiar green pasty seasoning. Wasabi is a bit difficult to grow and takes between 18 months and three years to reach maturity. These two factors make wasabi pastes and powders expensive, from $50 to $100 per pound.
An alternative to real wasabi is western wasabi. It is created from a mixture of Chinese mustard, horseradish, cornstarch, and a touch of green food coloring. While a reasonable substitute, imitation wasabi does not provide the full flavor of the original product. Unlike its replacement, real wasabi has a tart and tart nature, but quickly softens to become slightly sweet.
Wasabi paste made from grated roots should be used within half an hour or less, as it quickly loses its flavor. Several wasabi soy sauce recipes call for one part wasabi paste or powder to eight to 12 parts soy sauce. The more soy sauce used, the less powerful the wasabi seasoning will be.
Soy sauce is made by fermenting soybeans, aspergillus, water, and salt. Aspergillus works as the yeast in the fermentation process to make this seasoning. When the fermentation of the mixture ends, it becomes a paste. The paste is then pressed and the liquid is made into soy sauce. The remaining paste is often used as soybean feed.
Lighter soy sauces can be made by reducing the amount of salt in the initial preparation. Sweet soy sauces employ the addition of a small amount of sugar. Dark soy sauce is aged for a longer period, and caramel is usually added to it. Molasses can also be included to add a thicker texture, darker color, and a hint of sweetness.
Another variation of wasabi soy sauce uses white wine vinegar and olive oil. Two parts vinegar is mixed with one part soy sauce, wasabi paste, and oil to create a sauce or drizzle. For fans of wasabi soy sauce, companies are producing a variety of treats with this tasty coating. For example, wasabi soy nuts are an increasingly popular snack. These are just that kind of dried fruit, roasted in sweet soy sauce and sprinkled with wasabi powder.