Natto

Natto is a traditional Japanese dish of whole soybeans fermented by a special bacterium, known for its distinctive sticky, stringy texture, pungent aroma, and rich flavour. It is one of the most challenging products for newcomers, yet at the same time one of the most beneficial in Japanese cuisine.

Natto is made by inoculating boiled soy with the bacterium Bacillus subtilis (natto-kin) and holding it in the warm for about a day. During fermentation the bacteria produce polymers — gamma-polyglutamic acid and fructan — that form that same sticky, viscous slime that stretches in long threads when the beans are stirred or lifted with chopsticks. The flavour of natto is deep, earthy, with nutty-umami and slightly “cheesy” notes, while the smell is quite sharp and particular. Traditionally natto is eaten for breakfast with rice, seasoned with soy sauce, karashi mustard, and spring onion. The product is exceptionally prized for its benefit: it is rich in protein, vitamin K2, and the unique enzyme nattokinase, as well as living probiotics good for the heart, bones, and digestion.