WB052: My Natto Revelation
Natto (Japanese: 納豆, English: fermented soybeans) is a Japanese fermented soybean product typically eaten for breakfast over a bowl of rice with a cracked egg.
I daresay natto with rice is the Japanese breakfast equivalent of eating toasted bread and jam.
A package of natto often comes with condiments like tare (Japanese: たれ, English: soy- or mirin-based sauce) and mustard. To enjoy natto, you mix it with the condiments, then pour the mixture over a bowl of rice. I usually eat natto as a side dish without rice.
A typical natto package. There is a thin plastic sheet separating the condiments from the natto
Natto makes for a surprisingly practical and hearty breakfast that is also reasonably priced. A pack of three retails for around JPY80 (US$0.53) - JPY130 (US$0.80).
That said, natto is one of those foods that you either like or don't like. A pungent smell, slimy texture and an acquired taste - all similar attributes to durian. This probably explains why natto isn't terribly raved about by foreigners.
I can't remember the first time ate natto, but I concluded it just wasn't my cup of tea. Strangely enough, I do enjoy eating tempeh - an Indonesian fermented soybean product.
As natto and tempeh are "same, same but different", I was a little perplexed as to why I did not take to the former. Perhaps natto's reputation shaped my bias against it.
Sometimes, we just need to give things a second chance to make a good first impression. So the other day, I bought some natto and while eating it made it a point not to think about my bad first impression.
It's all in the mind, as the old saying goes and this mindset shift ultimately did the trick. I ended up enjoying my natto as an accompanying dish to my rolled oats and yoghurt.
Natto with accompanying tare sauce and mustard - really nice!
Learning to appreciate natto is also a positive thing for my diet, as it supposedly keeps LDL cholesterol in check. This NHK video explains natto's other health benefits. It also big plus point that natto is reasonably priced and easy to prepare.
The natto space is very competitive with many manufacturers, who differentiate their products by sauce offerings and price.
Some manufacturers like Mizkan, have devised a rather ingenious way of pouring the sauce, which is often a sticky experience. Instead of having a separate sauce packet that needs to be cut open, Mizkan's natto sauce is sealed in a pouch under the package's lid.
To disburse the sauce, you fold the lid in half and "crack open" the pouch to release the sauce. Quite smart!
Mizkan's innovative natto package design
Reflecting on my natto revelation, I concluded that sometimes we're better off experiencing things first before listening to what people say.
--Ends
