When we were introduced to fresh wasabi, we were in awe of its appearance, aroma and taste—as opposed to the knobs of dyed horseradish that show up on our sushi plates. After trying some, we were inspired to recreate one of our favorite snacks, wasabi peas, in which crisp peas are coated in a spicy wasabi paste.
You have to use freeze-dried peas for this recipe. Trust us: We tried drying our own fresh peas—but it didn’t work out so well, because the water content causes the peas to shrivel when they are drying. The freeze-dried ones are easy to find and make a world of difference.
To learn more, read “Wasabi Here Now.”
Fresh Wasabi Peas
Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen
Yield: 2 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, plus cooling time
Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes, plus cooling time
Ingredients
½ cup finely grated fresh wasabi
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 cups freeze-dried peas
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 225º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wasabi, mirin, rice vinegar, mustard powder and salt.
2. Add the freeze-dried peas and toss to coat. Stir the mixture gently so that all the peas are fully coated with the paste but not broken up. Arrange the coated peas on the prepared baking sheet, making sure that no peas are touching.
3. Bake until dry, 60 minutes. Let cool completely, then transfer to a bowl and serve.
