{"id":837,"date":"2016-02-14T23:00:28","date_gmt":"2016-02-14T14:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=837"},"modified":"2020-07-23T00:13:19","modified_gmt":"2020-07-22T15:13:19","slug":"home-made-wasabi-zuke-wasabi-pickles-asami-itoh-marufuku-tea-factory-shizuoka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/home-made-wasabi-zuke-wasabi-pickles-asami-itoh-marufuku-tea-factory-shizuoka\/","title":{"rendered":"Home-made wasabi zuke (wasabi pickles) with Asami Itoh of Marufuku Tea Factory, Shizuoka"},"content":{"rendered":"
The other day, my good friend Miss Asami Itoh, invited me and 7 more guests to make wasabi zuke according to a traditional recipe at her company, Marufuku Tea Factory Co. Ltd in Shizuoka.
\n<\/p>\n
Wasabi zuke literally means \u201cpickled wasabi\u201d and it is a typical agricultural product of Shizuoka Prefecture, and particularly Shizuoka, the birthplace of wasabi in Japan. Wasabi Zuke might be common in Shizuoka but I can assure you it is a rare and expensive delicacy away from our region.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Maruku Tea factory in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka<\/p>\n For that particular session, all products were either from Shizuoka or made in Japan. The fresh wasabi roots and stems were cultivated in the mountains along the Abe River in Shizuoka, the sake kasu\/sake white lees came directly from a sake brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture. The salt, brown cane sugar and the mirin\/sweet sake were all made in Japan.<\/p>\n <\/a>The wasabi and the sake kasu\/sake white lees<\/p>\n <\/a>All the ingredients for 8 people<\/p>\n The fresh and clean wasabi roots were of very good quality but cheaper (by Shizuoka standards) due to their “inferior” shape.<\/p>\n <\/a>The fresh wasabi stems<\/p>\n <\/a>Unprocessed sea salt and top class sugar cane sugar<\/p>\n <\/a>The mirin\/sweet sake<\/p>\n Each member was allotted the following for the recipe:<\/strong> <\/a> <\/a>Weighing up everyone\u2019s share<\/p>\n <\/a>First, chop the wasabi stems<\/p>\n <\/a>My share of wasabi roots<\/p>\n <\/a>We were soon all in tears chopping away the wasabi roots<\/p>\n <\/a>First chopping<\/p>\n <\/a>Second chopping<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a>Mixing the chopped stems and roots, adding the salt, mix well and let rest for 20 minutes.<\/p>\n <\/a>A well-earned rest<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>Adding the sake kasu<\/p>\n <\/a>Adding the sugar<\/p>\n
\nFresh wasabi root: 375 g
\nWasai stems and small leaves: 375 g
\nSake kasu\/Sake white lees: 500 g
\nSalt: 37 g
\nSugar: 100-120 g
\nMirin\/sweet sake: optional<\/p>\n
\nMaking sure that everybody understood the proportions<\/p>\n
\nThird chopping, the roots have to be hand-chopped finely to obtain maximum piquancy. A machine would not do a good job, it is all slow food.<\/p>\n
\nPress out by hand as much of the excess water as possible.<\/p>\n
\nSoftened sake kasu\/sake white lees. If you use unprocessed sake kasu, you will have to soften it by kneading it or using a beater.<\/p>\n