1) Vegan Japanese Snack: Imo & Wasabi

Living in a Prefecture that grows 80% of all wasabi in Japan, I thought it was about time I came up with a few recipes with wasabi!

I fully understand that wasabi and wasabi paste is not readily available outside Japan, but if you have the chance to get at least a tube of real wasabi, I a a few recipes for you that requires only a little of the precious stuff.
Bear in mind that wasabi is a natural medicine by itself, one more reason for you to buy some.
The present recipe also include yama imo/山芋, or long yam, which also so good for stamina and health!

Vegan Japanese Snack: Imo & Wasabi

INGREDIENTS: For 2 people

-Long yam (fresh): 7 cm long piece
-Mitsuba/Trefoil/Japanese honeywort
-Dry seaweed/nori: as appropriate
-Soy sauce: 1 teaspoon
-Wasabi paste: 1/2 teaspoon
-Soy sauce for “washing”: 1 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Peel the yam and cut into pieces of your preferred size.
If you are sensitive to the yam “juice”, freeze it first!

-Boil the trefoil lightly and for only a short time. Drain and press water out. Add the soy sauce “for washing”, mix and press the the trefoil again!
Cut the trefoil into 1 cm long pieces.

-In a bowl mix the yam and trefoil with the soy sauce and wasabi. Mix well.
Place in serving dish topped with dry seaweed cut into short thin strips.

-You may add many green leaf veg to this recipe of course and decorate it with sliced red radihes for example!
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2) Wasabi, Umeboshi & Avocado Salad

INGREDIENTS: For 1~2 persons

-Avocado: 1 (choose a ripe one!)
-Umeboshi/Japanese pickled plum: 1 (if you don’t want too much salt, choose a sweet one!)
-Mayonnaise: 1 teaspoon
-Wasabi paste: 1/2 teaspoon
-Soy sauce: 1 teaspoon
-Lemon juice: as appropriate
-Nori/dry seaweed: as appropriate

RECIPE:

-Cut avocado in halves, peel, discard seed and cut into samll enough pieces. Drop them in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and stir delicately. Very iportant as it will preserve the colour of the avocado and add to taste.

-Take out and discard the umeboshi seed and chop/mash fine. Add to avocado and stir delicately.

-Add mayonnaise (or vinaigrette), wasabi, soy sauce and stir/mix delicately.

-Serve in a bowl topped with dry seaweed cut in short and thin strips.

NOTE:

-Add peeled orange wedges for looks and taste!

So easy, isn’t it?