Wasabi-Zuke (Wasabi Pickled in Sake Lees)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 30 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 5
About this dish
Wasabi-zuke is a Shizuoka pickle made by finely cutting wasabi stems and roots, salting them overnight, and mixing the well-drained pieces into sake lees kneaded smooth with sugar and sake.
Read more
Two to three days in a sealed container allow the sharp nasal heat of wasabi to emerge through the deep fermented aroma of the lees. Squeezing the salted wasabi firmly through cloth is important because excess water thins the paste. Wasabi cultivation in Shizuoka is said to have begun between 1596 and 1615, when wild plants from Mount Bukkoku were transplanted near the spring water of Utogi. The growing method later spread to Izu and beyond. Wasabi-zuke reportedly began selling inside Shizuoka Station after it opened in 1889, becoming a standard regional souvenir as well as an everyday accompaniment to hot rice and sake.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Wash the wasabi stems and roots in cold water and dry them.
Scrape away dark areas on the roots and finely slice everything into 3 to 5 mm pieces. Toss evenly with salt, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- 2Season
Break the sake lees into small pieces in a large bowl and add the sugar.
Add the sake in three portions, pressing and kneading with a spatula until the paste is smooth, thick, and free of lumps.
- 3Season
Wrap the salted wasabi in a clean cloth and press firmly with both hands to remove as much liquid as possible.
Add the drained wasabi to the sake-lees paste and fold from the bottom until every piece is coated evenly.
- 4Finish
Pack the mixture tightly into a heat-sanitized, fully dried airtight container and level the surface.
Close and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. When the wasabi aroma becomes pronounced and the flavors meld, serve a small amount with rice or sake using a clean spoon.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Wasabi stems and roots are finely cut, salted, and refrigerated overnight.
- Finish cue
- Pack the mixture tightly into a heat-sanitized, fully dried airtight container and level the surface.
- Avoid this
- Do not serve it to children, pregnant people, anyone avoiding alcohol, or anyone who will drive.
- Storage and reheating
- Wasabi-zuke is a Shizuoka pickle made by finely cutting wasabi stems and roots, salting them overnight, and mixing the well-drained pieces into sake lees kneaded smooth with sugar and sake.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
30min, 5 ingredients
Category median
33min, 8 ingredients
Based on 152 recipes
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