Prized by chefs worldwide, this difficult and notoriously slow growing wasabi variety is regarded as the highest quality wasabi. It has lower moisture content (less watery when grated) and by far the most intense wasabi flavour with a natural sweetness (stickiness). MAZUMA #1 is now available with it's red variant AKAONI coming soon.
 
On traditional wasabi farms in Japan, this variety takes two years for even the largest ten percent of it's rhizomes to reach 100 grams. Up to three years is needed for the rest of them so consequently most rhizomes are harvested well under the 100g size, as all plants are traditionally taken from the field at harvest time. Hence wasabi farms outside Japan don't even attempt to grow these Mazuma type cultivars. Within Japan, farmers are also moving towards easier-to-grow (higher-moisture content) varieties.
 
Mazuma variants are known by chefs for their higher fibre (lower moisture) content. This prevents sushi becoming soggy when wasabi is used in the traditional way, i.e. with a dab of grated rhizome placed on back of the raw seafood, prior to marrying it to a portion of cooked rice. 
 
The reason we've marked these as "out of stock" is because we only have very limited availability.  However, if you're only looking for one we may be able to accommodate you at $1 per gram, our web price for these legendary MAZUMA type rhizomes.
 
We prefer not to chop rhizomes, selling them whole for freshness. Just let us know that it's specifically "Mazuma type" that your want; we'll charge you according to actual net packed weight.
 
If you'd like this, don't order via our website, just email your order to: <robertmatthews5@bigpond.com> We don't harvest anything less than 100g with most rhizomes harvesting at between 110 to 150g ...$23 is added for Express Post shipping. Include your full name, delivery address and a mobile number for tracking. Your invoice will have my bank details for payment. Most internet banking payments made via Pay Anyone use Osko automatically now, which is almost instant and most often no bank fees are taken.
 
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Sustainably grown wasabi rhizome. To ensure maximum quality and flavour/ glucosinalate content, our rhizomes are not harvested until they've reached at least 100g in weight. These come complete with fresh petiole crown and are minimally trimmed to prolong freshness. To provide a fully matured rhizome all the way to the top, for optimum quality and flavour, periodic leaf removal is a part of our crop management practices. Note: Leaf removal is traditionally done at harvest time but this can result in too high moisture content, with too watery consistency when the upper portion of the rhizome is grated into paste. This can be an issue with faster growing wasabi varieties. Btw, top chefs are already telling us our rhizomes are some of the best they've tried here in Australia ...what will they say when they've had the chance to try our Mazuma?
 
Our rhizomes are 100% fresh, only harvested after receiving your order and definitely never frozen prior to shipping. If you've purchased rhizomes from others in the past, and found the petiole base parts at the top of a rhizome to be shrivelled, it indicates the rhizome has likely been frozen at some stage following harvest ...glucosinolate potency, and flavour, will definitely fall off within a very short period of time if this is the case, and it will become rubbery and difficult to grate.
 
If your rhizome is in a fresh and healthy state, it should still want to grow and can even push out new leaves from the centre of its crown while stored in your fridge. While it's best used asap, it can maintain good glucosinolate levels and flavour for a month or two when correctly stored. The condition of the rhizome's crown indicates the quality of your rhizome, withered and shrivelled means compromised quality due to poor storage conditions. If stored for any amount of time, you may notice superficial blackening of cut surfaces. This is nothing to be alarmed about as it is just oxidation, and easily to remove prior to grating. Many website suggest wrapping wasabi in paper towel then wetting a little before placing into a plastic storage bag and returning to the fridge. However according to wasabi farmers in Japan the key for good storage is to prevent condensation by wrapping in dry paper towel but not wetting it, before it's bagged. For further info re storage of Wasabi see: Article Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment · August 2003