Natto

[sk_ward]

Okay I made Natto this am for breakfast...

I did what Kristin does with the egg yolk, scallion, soy and karashi (No bonito flakes or raw okra -out of season-though) over hot rice and I had ONE bite, which I DID chew thoroughly.

I will try again in a few months.

It really wasnt bad TASTING at all. Its the texture that kinda got me.

Im gonna sit on it a little bit and figure out what things I would add to make me LOVE it and crave it, like I do most other Japanese foods.

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Next time, I would try to leave out the raw egg, unless you really like to eat raw egg with other kinds of foods (eg sukiyaki, soba, etc). I don't know what other people think, but that seems like an advanced step to me and maybe a little much for the beginner!!! I would second the vote for whole bean too.

[Hiroyuki]

Was that too much natto mixture on the rice?

Somewhere I read today that you are only supposed to use 2 tablespoonsfull...

Also, do you stir it into the rice before eating?

Im a stickler for the TRADITIONAL ways of eating things (except for my kimchi and bulgogi- I add a little ketchup to sweeten it up. You never taste it)

Kris you like that Veggie Tales bowl? Do your kids like Veggie Tales? They are adorable and they are making them non-Christian for the worldwide market...

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Don't worry. There are no traditional ways of preparing or eating natto.

I can eat two packs (90 g) of natto with half a bowl of rice.

My children usually have one pack (45 g) with one bowl of rice.

Some families make a bonburi of natto and share it among the family members.

BUT, I think that there are few people who stir it into rice.

Different people prepare natto differently. I, for one, put natto in a bowl, add the supplied tare and mustard, and stir a minimum required number of times, say, 20 to 30 times.

Rosanjin suggested that natto should be prepared this way:

1. Use a tall container called mukouzuke. The natto should be of a kotsubu (small grain) type.

2. Stir natto 305 times.

3. Add soy sauce, a few drops at a time, and stir another 119 times, for a total of 424 times, until you see don't see any threads.

4. Add negi and Japanease mustard.

Here is a story (Japanese only) of a silly person who stired natto 10,000 times. She says that after stirred 10,000 times, natto tastes like kani miso (crab innards). It took her one hour and 40 minutes to do so.

[Gilb3rt]

I love natto, the simple'st thing temaki, with natto, spring onions, cucumber, roasted seasam seeds and crusted wasabi nuts/wasabi crystal with or without rice and like serving it with ponzu or just soy and then add a little yuzu in the roll..

[Cheeko]

BUT, I think that there are few people who stir it into rice.

Yes, I do... I also sneak in a little sesame/nori furikake. All due respect to Rosanjin, I think I will skip the 305+ stirs. My rice will get too cold

[flowbee]

i bought a 3-pack of natto recently...some different brand that i never tried before. it actually contained natto and barley! adds a nice bit of texture to it. i eat it cold on hot rice, and yes i mix it in. sometimes i supplement it with some gohan desyo

it took me a couple times eating natto before i loved it. i also started loving bleu cheese and other strong-tasting stinky stuff...i wonder how cheese and natto would taste together?

[Hiroyuki]

i bought a 3-pack of natto recently...some different brand that i never tried before. it actually contained natto and barley! adds a nice bit of texture to it. i eat it cold on hot rice, and yes i mix it in. sometimes i supplement it with some gohan desyo

it took me a couple times eating natto before i loved it. i also started loving bleu cheese and other strong-tasting stinky stuff...i wonder how cheese and natto would taste together?

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Although I am a huge fan of natto, I've never thought of mixing it with rice!

In Hanamaru Market (famous TV show in Japan), they introduced a man in Fukuoka, who runs a shop specializing in natto-based products. He says that the three items that go well with natto are eggs, cheese, and chocolate .

Access the site and scroll down until the rightmost marker is positioned in the middle, and you will see two photos of natto gateux chocolat.

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I found two interesting items while searching:

Natto bowl and natto stirrer

[sk_ward]

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I found two interesting items while searching:

Natto bowl and natto stirrer

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I've seen those natto stirrers in Tokyu Hands and in Loft. I almost bought one, just for the novelty of it (and so that I could post a picture of it! ) but then figured that it probably couldn't do anything any better than my chopsticks. What exactly is the point of the bowl?

[Hiroyuki]

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I found two interesting items while searching:

Natto bowl and natto stirrer

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I've seen those natto stirrers in Tokyu Hands and in Loft. I almost bought one, just for the novelty of it (and so that I could post a picture of it! ) but then figured that it probably couldn't do anything any better than my chopsticks. What exactly is the point of the bowl?

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取っ手が心持ち下向きに付けられており、それで混ぜる時ちょうど良い角度になります。練る勢いに関わらず全くこぼれませんし、

The handle is directing slightly downward, providing just the right angle when you stir. The natto won't spill over no matter how hard you stir.

Now you want to buy one?

[SheenaGreena]

I have a lot of natto and nothing else to eat so it looks like I'm eating breakfast for dinner. I do have bacon and kimchi though, so I am going to mix some kimchi with my natto and then crumble some cooked bacon on top. Sounds gross to you? Sounds delicious to me

bacon, natto, and kimchi =

[mkayahara]

I received a copy of Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking for Christmas, and was interested to see his entry on natto. In it, he comments: "Natto ... is notable for being distinctly alkaline (from the breakdown of amino acids into ammonia)." How identifiable is the ammonia in the smell of natto?

I ask because I'd love to try natto, but I can't stand ammonia in, for example, overripe cheese. I've noticed some debate on this thread as to whether or not natto smells like blue cheese (which I like), but I'm thinking more along the lines of Brie or similar cheeses that have been sitting around too long.

I'm not normally afraid of mucilaginous textures, so that doesn't really worry me. (And I really wanted the opportunity to use the word "mucilaginous"!) Is there any hope that I'll like natto?

(I guess the only way to find out for sure is to try it...)

[sk_ward]

I happened to catch the episode of "Hakkutsu! Aru Aru Daijiten II" that aired on Kansai TV on Jan 7. They discussed how natto could help you lose weight, even if you made no other changes to your exercise regimen or diet. They attributed natto's magical weight lose powers to the high level of DHEA found in natto and claimed that you should eat two packs a day, one in the morning and one in the evening. After stirring vigorously, you were supposed to let it rest for about twenty minutes before eating it. On the show, they showed people who followed this diet and lost weight and had an improvement in various blood test parameters. I can't remember exactly what they were, but maybe cholesterol or maybe just DHEA levels? The show sparked a national natto buying frenzy and a natto shortage developed. Several natto companies took out advertisements to apologize for the shortage. From personal experience, natto was NOWHERE to be found in any grocery stores near my apartment! But, alas, it was all lies, and Kansai TV issued a formal apology on tv. They actually used pictures of people who had lost weight, but not by being on the natto diet, and blood tests were never actually carried out. I guess that they weren't expecting this kind of response from their show, but it makes you wonder how many other shows like this are all just bogus...

I just want my natto back!

Mainichi Daily News Report

[Hiroyuki]

I received a copy of Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking for Christmas, and was interested to see his entry on natto. In it, he comments: "Natto ... is notable for being distinctly alkaline (from the breakdown of amino acids into ammonia)." How identifiable is the ammonia in the smell of natto?

I ask because I'd love to try natto, but I can't stand ammonia in, for example, overripe cheese. I've noticed some debate on this thread as to whether or not natto smells like blue cheese (which I like), but I'm thinking more along the lines of Brie or similar cheeses that have been sitting around too long.

I'm not normally afraid of mucilaginous textures, so that doesn't really worry me. (And I really wanted the opportunity to use the word "mucilaginous"!) Is there any hope that I'll like natto?

(I guess the only way to find out for sure is to try it...)

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The ammonia smell becomes a problem only if re-fermentation occurs. The smell is not noticeable provided that the natto is kept refrigerated and consumed by the expiration date.

As I implied earlier, the best way to eat natto while avoiding its smell is eat it while it is still cold. If you put it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before you eat it, you really won't think it's stinky.

[Hiroyuki]

but it makes you wonder how many other shows like this are all just bogus...

I just want my natto back! 

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Mass media often play things up, but in this particular show, they made up ficticious data, and I think it's very absurd.

[jdsears669]

but it makes you wonder how many other shows like this are all just bogus...

I just want my natto back!  

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Mass media often play things up, but in this particular show, they made up ficticious data, and I think it's very absurd.

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Here is what I heard in California about it:

Last week a TV show created an instant rush on natto when it broadcast a report that said that, based on hard data from the U.S., eating natto twice a day would lead to losing 2-3 kg per week. Although natto does have various health benefits such as reducing blood clots and lowering cholesterol, the show's fabrication of actual data was another example of the Japanese media's love of "yarase" or faking on the air to get good ratings.

Is "yarase" a common pratice?

[Hiroyuki]

but it makes you wonder how many other shows like this are all just bogus...

I just want my natto back!  

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Mass media often play things up, but in this particular show, they made up ficticious data, and I think it's very absurd.

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Here is what I heard in California about it:

Last week a TV show created an instant rush on natto when it broadcast a report that said that, based on hard data from the U.S., eating natto twice a day would lead to losing 2-3 kg per week. Although natto does have various health benefits such as reducing blood clots and lowering cholesterol, the show's fabrication of actual data was another example of the Japanese media's love of "yarase" or faking on the air to get good ratings.

Is "yarase" a common pratice?

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I will be brief because I don't think this is food-related. I'd say yes, they would do anything for a good rating.

I don't watch much TV these days. I only watch programs that I believe are good, but even when I watch them, I tend to take them with a grain of salt.

[SheenaGreena]

not a japanese recipe, but I'm sure some of you will enjoy this:

Last week I went home to visit my parents (spring break) and I decided to pack some natto in my suitcase. I double bagged it and I packed it in with my clothes and surprisingly enough there was no odor - thank god. So I brought it with me, because my mother loves this fermented soy bean paste called "chong guk jang" or something like that. It's basically natto except the beans are smashed and a little hot pepper flakes are added and it's more expensive. Its traditionally served in a stew and instead of using that my mother used that natto that I brought over.

here's an approximation of what my mom did.

take 3 packets of natto (don't need the mustard and soy sauce) and smash them in a mortar with a pestle. My mother uses a wooden pestle in a plastic mortar. You don't want to grind them into a paste, just until its relatively chunky.

Stir fry smashed up natto with some sliced pork (any cut will do), tofu - cubed firm or smashed soft is good), and some really sour cabbage kimchi.

Add gochugaru - red pepper flakes, and then add water to taste. You want it to be like a chunky stew. Simmer for a few minutes, garnish with sliced green onion, and serve with a hot bowl of rice

Believe it or not, cooking the natto actually m akes most of the smell go away. This reminded me of soon dubu (soft tofu soup) but with an added kick. My mother actually liked using the natto better, because it was so cheap.

I hope you might try this recipe, because I absolutely loved it and I am going to make it myself now that I'm back home.

eta: Don't know if you care, but I found this to be interesting: when my mom was little, she said that her mother used to ferment the soy beans on the hot floor (called ondol) with a blanket thrown on top of the soy beans. This caused the beans to ferment. I believe that japanese nowadays do something similar where they throw a heating blanket on top of the beans to cause fermentation.

Edited March 30, 2007 by SheenaGreena (log)

[JasonTrue]

I actually like natto misoshiru, which also mellows out the natto aroma.

[SheenaGreena]

I actually like natto misoshiru, which also mellows out the natto aroma.

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who would've guessed that cooking natto kills some of the smell? My mother did cook it in her sun room on a portable burner and that stunk to high heaven. When I had the bowl of it in front of me though, it diidn't smell.

what else do you put in the natto misoshiru? I would love to make that as well

[JasonTrue]

Usually fairly minimalist... negi and nattou, soup stock and miso. One CookPad recipe suggests adding slightly poached egg.

what else do you put in the natto misoshiru? I would love to make that as well

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[SheenaGreena]

Usually fairly minimalist... negi and nattou, soup stock and miso. One CookPad recipe suggests adding slightly poached egg.

what else do you put in the natto misoshiru? I would love to make that as well

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that sounds delicious, especially with the addition of the poached egg. I just looked in my refridgerator for a packet of natto but I ate it all earlier. I will give your suggestions a go next week and will probably use korean soy bean paste instead.

[puerco]

i've heard that people either love natto or hate it, but does anyone else find it boring? sure it's gooey and smells a little funky, but it's got nothing on some of the stinkier french washed-rind cheeses, and the taste, well, it tastes like, um, soybeans. i'm really surprised that anyone would have strong reaction one way or the other to it, miso and shoyu are both stronger flavors by miles.

[nakji]

i've heard that people either love natto or hate it, but does anyone else find it boring? sure it's gooey and smells a little funky, but it's got nothing on some of the stinkier french washed-rind cheeses, and the taste, well, it tastes like, um, soybeans. i'm really surprised that anyone would have strong reaction one way or the other to it, miso and shoyu are both stronger flavors by miles.

Yes, yes, yes. I want to report that I was shocked by it, but actually I was bored by it. I think the texture is really what some people find challenging, rather than the taste. But either way, I didn't react nearly as strongly to it as I have to other foods in Asia. If it shows up on the table, I'll eat it. If not, I don't go looking for it.

[sazji]

I tasted it at a party given by a Japanese professor; she had it divided neatly into little portions for everyone to taste. I think she was going for the shock factor. I can't say I even noticed the taste much, the smell was not too shocking. But I have to admit the texture did me in; it felt like the slime was growing over the inside of my mouth. They gave it to a poor guy from Pakistan and the look on his face was priceless.

What does cooking do to the texture?

[Hiroyuki]

Anything can be boring if you don't care for it. Rice can be boring, bread can be boring, vegetables can be boring, and beef can be boring. The list can last forever. As for me, natto never fails to fascinate me, almost every morning. Cheap, a great source of protein, and yummy! I can't live without natto!

As for the texture of natto when cooked, the slime is on the outside of each bean, so cooking natto makes it less slimy. For example, if you make miso soup with natto, the natto itself will be much less slimy, and the soup will become slightly slimy. If you make natto tempura, you won't tell it's slimy, but you will have to endure the odor while making natto tempura!

[YSC]

I'm glad this thread got bumped up because I'm currently going through a natto craving. I just went home to visit my parents and while I was there my dad was eating natto all the time. I hadn't eaten natto in years but of course I had to join him... now that I'm back I have a strange craving for it.

I went to the local Nijiya supermarket and they sold some in the refrigerated section. However, I could not find any expiry date on it. I've heard that you have to eat it fairly soon if not frozen. How long can refrigerated natto last? Also, I like to make maguro natto and when I do I use wasabi instead of karashi. Does it make a difference?