Natto Recipes

Natto prevents heart attacks, strokes and osteoporosis, as well as food poisoning and intestinal disorders. There are also reports that it is effective against cancer. They also say it prevents obesity. It is the most complete nutritious food, notably providing abundant Vitamin B complex which tend to be lacking in vegetarian diet.

On top of that, inexpensive soybeans can be grown even on barren land, or can fix nitrogen in the soil and grow together with root nodule bacteria (leguminous bacteria), so holds the possibility to reduce world food crises.

Here I would like to introduce this wonderful natto to people who do not like it, through recipes that non-Japanese people will eat. I think many Japanese people know of natto's marvelous qualities through the news, etc., and there are already many natto recipes.

Additionally, an enzyme called nattokinase, natto's blood clot dissolving agent, is destroyed at temperatures above 70 degrees C, so it is best eaten raw. If you hate raw natto, eat it cooked by all means. You will still enjoy the benefit of nutritious food. After you acquired taste for natto, you can try raw natto.

If I cannot have you do this, there will be no medicinal effects, so at first it is best eaten in a form that is easy to eat, and then after you are used to it, it might be good to try it raw.

According to an investigative survey, the number one reason foreigners living in Japan don't like natto is its smell, and the second is the sliminess. Therefore, the successful recipes should reduce or mask those.

Natto Mabo-Tofu by S. Nakamura (99/01/18)
One of the problems with natto's smell is due to ammonia. When cooked, ammonia smell goes away because it evaporates at a high temperature. Natto can be added to mabo-tofu. If you use mabo-tofu source to make mabo-tofu, it contains natto anyway although it may be based on koji-based natto (Kyoto-style). Therefore, natto added to mabo-tofu tastes naturally.

Another way to solve the ammonia smell is adding a small amount (a few drops) of vinegar. Add vinegar before natto is mixed with other condiments such as soy source and onion. Vinegar is acid while ammonia is alkali, so ammonia is neutralized. With a small amount of vinegar, natto would not taste sour. On the other hand, vinegar-flavored natto with a larger amount of vinegar is not bad either.

Natto Mueshi by Friedemann (99/01/16)
Cold natto has not much smell, so I avoid heating. In Europe it is popular to mix yogurt with crushed grains of all kind as well as fresh or dry fruits, nuts and so on to get a delicious and nutritious "muesli". When I mixed a small pack of natto with about 250 g yogurt I discovered that the slimy consistency disappears completely. Probably the slime-proteins are denatured due to the mild acid environment. In this state conventional chewing and swallowing is no problem at all. In a well mixed muesli the smell and taste of natto is nearly lost. Muesli eaters should enjoy to make this great meal even more healthy and nutritious by regularly adding some natto!

Cheesy Natto by Rex Sato (98/12/12)
I really enjoy the most basic recipe. Mix natto well to get the sticky texture, then add Japanese soy sauce (don't drown it or you'll just taste the sauce) and chopped green onions. Mix again and serve it on very hot cooked rice. My friend enjoys adding one more item; finely chopped cheddar, mozzarella, or havarti cheese! Apparently, the cheese melts on hot rice. He says it's excellent!

Natto Mayo Spread
If you just stir in mayonnaise and a few drops of soy sauce to natto, spread it on bread, and eat it, it is very tasty. Especially when made as a sandwich, the smell and sliminess are hardly noticed, making this a recommended recipe.

Apple Natto
This is finely sliced apple mixed with natto. For non-Japanese people, I think it would be good to mix in not only soy sauce, but mayonnaise. Sour apples are the best for this recipe.

California Natto
Mix avocado and natto, and add soy sauce for taste. This is recommended for people who like a lingering taste. The only thing is that, after some time, the avocado turns black, so prepare immediately before eating.

Others
Usually green onions and mustard are added as condiments, but Tobasco isn't bad. The Nihon Hoso Kyokai (NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation) aired a special program on how to eat natto late 1998. According to the program, chopped green onions and mustard reduces the natto smell considerably. Mixing natto 424 times (don't ask me why 424 times) mostly eliminates its sliminess, it also reported.