 Nattō on rice | |
| Course | Breakfast,side dish |
|---|---|
| Place of origin |  Japan |
| Region or state | East Asia |
| Main ingredients | Fermentedsoybeans |
Nattō (納豆) is a traditionalJapanese food made from wholesoybeans that have beenfermented withBacillus subtilis var.natto.[1] It is often served as a breakfast food with rice.[2] It is served withkarashi mustard,soy ortare sauce, and sometimesJapanese bunching onion. Within Japan,nattō is most popular in the eastern regions, includingKantō,Tōhoku, andHokkaido.[3][4][5]
Nattō is often considered anacquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and sticky, slimy texture.[6][7][8][9][10] A 2009 survey revealed that 70% of the 3,827 respondents found the taste pleasant, and others who may not find the taste pleasant still eat the food out of habit.[11]
Sources differ about the earliest origin ofnattō. One theory is that nattō was codeveloped in multiple locations in the distant past, since it is simple to make with ingredients and tools commonly available in Japan since ancient times.[12]
One story about the origin ofnattō attributes it to the samuraiMinamoto no Yoshiie (1039–1106), who was on a campaign in northeastern Japan between 1086 and 1088 AD. One day, his troops were attacked while boiling soybeans for their horses. They hurriedly packed up the beans, and did not open the straw bags until a few days later, by which time the beans had fermented. The soldiers ate it anyway, and liked the taste, so they offered some to Yoshiie, who also liked the taste.[13][14]
Another story involvesPrince Shotoku (574–622), who is said to have wrapped the leftovers of boiled soybeans in straw bags for his horse. As people happened to eat these fermented beans and found them delicious, this type of fermented stringy beans soon gained popularity in Japan because of its unique taste and strong flavor.[15]
Beforenattō, there was a similar dish of fermented black soybeans food in China calledshì,chǐ(Chinese:豉), ordouchi (Chinese:豆豉;pinyin:dòuchǐ). These are salted, fermented and aged whole soybean seasonings or condiments invented in China and spread throughout East Asia. They are usually made from fermented soybeans and with an ample amount of salt; however, the ingredients and production methods differ in Japan. Chinese use both black and yellow soybeans to producedouchi. The amount of salt used also differentiatesdouchi andnattō in taste and appearance.[16][17]
The cultivation methods of soybeans and rice were imported from China to Japan during theYayoi period, and later on, the circulation of salt began to flourish in Japan. This provided an opportunity for the production ofdouchi to become popular in Japan. Because salt was expensive at the time, it has been suggested thatnattō was invented by accident during the production ofdouchi.[13][15]
A wooden slip was excavated inHeijō-kyō, which had the Chinese character 豉 (chǐ; soybean) written on it.[15][16] The excavation of the slip is considered an evidence to support the hypothesis that the invention ofnattō was based on the Chinesedouchi imported to Japan.
The Chinese character 豉 entered Japan in the 8th century. It was pronounced "kuki" until the 11th century, whennattō became a new name for fermented soybeans.[17]
A change in the production ofnattō occurred in theTaishō period (1912–1926), when researchers discovered a way to produce anattōstarter culture containingBacillus subtilis without the need for straw, thereby simplifying the commercial production ofnattō and enabling more consistent results.[18]
| Nutritional value per 50-gram tub | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 110 kcal (460 kJ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6.4 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 2.4 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 2.7 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5.5 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9.7 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 27.5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Link to USDA Database Entry; Vitamin K value from[19] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[20] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from theNational Academies.[21] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nattō is 55% water, 13%carbohydrates, 19%protein, and 11%fat (table). In a 50 grams (1.8 ounces) serving, nattō supplies 110calories and is a rich source (20% or more of theDaily Value, DV) of severaldietary minerals, especiallyiron (33% DV) andmanganese (73% DV), andvitamin K (542% DV). Nattō contains someB vitamins andvitamin C in moderate amounts (table).
Nattō has a distinctive odor, somewhat akin to a pungent aged cheese. Stirringnattō produces many sticky strings.[1] The dish is eaten cold with rice, mixed with the included soy sauce orkarashi mustard if eaten from a commercially packagednattō. Other ingredients such as long onion orkimchi are often added.
Nattō is frequently eaten asnattōgohan (nattō on rice).Nattō is occasionally used in other foods, such asnattō sushi (nattōmaki),nattō toast, inmiso soup,tamagoyaki, salad, as an ingredient inokonomiyaki,chahan, or even withspaghetti. Sometimes soybeans are crushed before fermenting.
Many find the taste unpleasant and smelly while others relish it as a delicacy. Nattō is more popular in some areas of Japan than in others.Nattō is known to be popular in the easternKantō region, but less popular inKansai.[11]
For those who dislike the smell and texture of natto, "dried natto" and "fried natto" were developed around 1990. The smell and stickiness are reduced, making it easier to eat for those who do not like conventional natto. Another type of fermented soybeans calledmamenoka (Japanese:豆乃香) has also been developed by improving the soybean and natto bacillus varieties to make it less sticky.[22]
Nattō is made from soybeans, typicallynattō soybeans. Smaller beans are preferred, as the fermentation process will be able to reach the center of the bean more easily. The beans are washed and soaked in water for 12 to 20 hours to hydrate them, and increase their size.[23] Next, the soybeans aresteamed for six hours, although apressure cooker may be used to reduce the time. The cooked beans are mixed with the bacteriumBacillus subtilis, known asnattō-kin in Japanese. From this point on, care must be taken to keep the ingredients away from impurities and otherbacteria. The mixture is fermented at 40 °C (104 °F) for up to 24 hours. Afterward, thenattō is cooled, then aged in a refrigerator for up to one week to allow the development of stringiness.
Innattō-making facilities, these processing steps have to be done while avoiding incidents in which soybeans are touched by workers. Even though workers useB. subtilis natto as the starting culture, which can suppress some undesired bacterial growth, workers pay extra-close attention not to introduceskin flora onto soybeans.[24]
Nattō continues to be a popular home fermentation activity with some families starting new batches daily. Home production was historically done using rice straw to maintain moisture and as insulation with placement in naturally warmer parts of the home or fermentation shed, but is now done with moist towels over glass pans or perforated plastic wrap on thermostat-controlled heating pads. At-home fermentation machines are also available but are rarely marketed specifically fornattō, which is a less finicky culture capable of sustaining its own ideal temperature once it gets going.[citation needed]
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Mass-producednattō is sold in smallpolystyrene containers. A typical package contains two, three, or occasionally four containers, each 40 to 50 g (1.4 to 1.8 oz). One container typically complements a small bowl of rice.
Nattō odor comes fromdiacetyl andpyrazines, but if it is allowed to ferment too long, thenammonia is released.[25]
The fermenting ofnattō developsglutamic acid, which is why it has anumami flavour.
Many countries around Asia also produce similar traditional soybean foods fermented withBacillus bacteria, such asshuǐdòuchǐ (水豆豉) ofChina,cheonggukjang (청국장) ofKorea,thua nao (ถั่วเน่า) ofThailand,kinema ofNepal and theHimalayan regions ofWest Bengal andSikkim,tungrymbai ofMeghalaya,hawaijaar ofManipur,bekang um ofMizoram,akhuni ofNagaland, andpiak ofArunachal Pradesh,India.[3][27]
It is a traditional soybean breakfast food from northern Japan and it's called natto. [...] As a breakfast food, natto is usually served over steamed rice and mixed with mustard and soy sauce.
Natto is a Japanese soy ferment that produces a slimy, mucilaginous coating on the beans, something like okra. [...] The flavor of natto carries notes ofammonia (like some cheeses or overripetempeh), which gets stronger as it ferments longer.
... natto, a food that has achieved infamy among Japan's foreign residents.
... natto, a fermented soy bean dish that many consider an acquired taste.
Natto are one of those classic dishes that people either love or hate. Like Marmite or blue cheese, natto has a very strong smell and intense flavour that can definitely be an acquired taste.
Preparing Nattou step by step, without using rice straw.
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