Simply put, natto is fermented soybeans. Fermentation is the process of changing a carbohydrate to an alcohol or acid. Usually this is done with a bacteria or with yeast. In the case of natto it’s Bacilus Subtilis bacteria. Sounds tasty, right?
Natto is quite common here in east Japan, but I hear that natto doesn’t have the same popularity in west Japan. Many people eat these fermented soybeans as a part of a Japanese Style Breakfast, which may include fish, miso soup, rice, and tofu. I also understand that at some preschool, kindergarten, and early-elementary school children eat natto as a snack. I’m not sure that would go over so well with children in America.
When you go into your local grocery story, usually near the tofu area, natto is neatly stored in these small, white styrofoam containers. There are smaller sized natto soybeans (the most common type) and the larger ones (which I don’t like all that much).
Natto’s smell is very…unique. Some of the foreigners I work with have explained the smell of natto as old cheese, old socks, hot garbage, etc. To me, the smell lies somewhere between cheese and old socks; it’s not the most pleasant of smells.
Another quality that makes natto so unappealing to most foreigners, is the texture. Natto is slippery and sticky at the same time. After mixing it, you end up with gooey, stringy, fermented, soybean goodness.
Some natto packages usually include a special congealed, sauce to add flavor. Other containers include soy sauce and strong mustard. You add this sauce (or mustard & soy sauce) the soybeans and mix it well until you get a very sticky, stringy mixture. You can then eat it as it is, serve it over rice, or eat it with toast (a student suggestion that I actually liked).
Hmmm…it’s hard to put natto’s taste into words, but I’ll try my best. It’s the heartiness of beans coupled with a savory flavor, a hint of salt (not overly so), and a hint of barbecue (depending on the kind you get).
Many foreigners avoid natto like the plague. I believe that it’s more of the texture and smell that gets people more so than the taste. When it comes to natto, there are three types of people; either 1) you love it, 2) you hate it, or 3) it grows on you. I am definitely a number three person, so I eat it quite regularly. I can assure you, you’ll figure which type you are soon after having your first natto exprience.
Good luck,
Donald Ash
Donald Ash is an Atlanta, Georgia-born, American expat who has been living in a Japanese time warp for the last eleven years. While in that time warp, he discovered that he absolutely loves writing, blogging, and sharing. Donald is the creator of thejapanguy.com blog. Wanna know more about this guy? Check out his "What's Your Story" page.
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I recommend it w/salsa sauce! Or meat sauce! Or parmesan cheese.
great with cheddar cheese melted on toast. 🙂
took me 4 times before i liked it. i forced myself to like it just b/c the stuff is so darn healthy.
i like it kinda hard…so i wait until it is expired b4 i eat it.
viv
haha try seeing what chinese eat! you will be so so so shocked!
It doesn’t smell that bad. Kinda like ammonia.
I add condiments and green onions among other crunchy things like croutons with my natto in the morning.
I wrote an article on my natto experience here. Check it out. http://foodstochew.com/my-week-with-natto-san/
Natto may taste “bad”, but its full of vitamin K2.. the missing ingredient of most western diets!
So is cheese and butter and they taste good lol
yeah, but if health benefits of K2 are what one is after, then natto contains almost fifteen times the amount of K2, in the same serving size as the best tasting gouda cheese.available today.
I’ve got a pack of Natto in the fridge. I bought it before online but it was out of date when it arrived. Ended up giving it to the dogs and they liked it.
The smell is akin to strong cheese and, being in a cheese-loving European family, I’m used to it. So I hope to eventually get around to eating the new stuff before it goes off.
just because it’s expired, doesn’t mean you should give it to your dog
I tried natto for the first time yesterday. It didn’t taste or smell nearly as bad as I thought it would -perhaps because I psyched myself up for the experience. The texture was an obstacle, but again, not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.
The person who tried it with me, however, spit it out and said “never again’.
Nice piece, great description, and cultural context.
Easy to make at home … they come in small Styrofoam packages .. not very environmental. Make your own. I’ve been doing to for years. http://earthlychow.com/miracle-food-from-japan-easy-homemade-natto
I’m still too nervous to try it even though I know of the health
benefits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNSpVuXNOGc
The first time I tries natto was kinda “oh-em-geeh” i don’t understand its smell. But it taste good for me. I so then love it… after a couple of weeks eating breakfast with nattoo…
Even the miso soup smells like toilet cleaner… 😀 but it tastes definitely good…
I will try natto when I am in Japan for 8 weeks, beginning on Sunday!
Just tried it for the first time. I mixed it with the sauce and mustard packets before I smelled it. When I did, I thought it smelled like CHOCOLATE! I can’t say it tasted like chocolate, but it wasn’t bad! Savory, almost a Vegemite flavor. I think I might mix it with a bit of peanut butter next time, that’s the only way I can eat Vegemite!