My journey with natto started a little over four years ago when I first arrived in Japan. The first time I smelled and saw natto, I was honestly turned off. From that day, I swore I would never touch the stuff!
Fast forward to two years later. My high school best friend, her boyfriend (now fiancé) and their friend, came to Japan over the Christmas and New Year holiday. We all headed up to a wonderful quaint onsen (hot spring) up in Gunma Prefecture. One morning at our ryokan, we had a traditional Japanese breakfast. Natto encounter number two. I loaded my small bowl with soy sauce. So much that the person who loved natto couldn't even finish my dish!
Fast forward to today. In a third attempt to get me to try natto, I had a serving with my dinner one cold night in the middle of January. Lord and behold, like I mentioned in my 'Taste Bud' article, my taste bud changed and I fell in love with the smelly, stringy stuff.
Since then, I admit, when I get hungry all I can think of is natto. I have so far managed to eat it once a day, only to become sad knowing that my time in Japan is coming to an end and I won't be able to purchase this as easily back in America.
This is how I and many other Japanese people eat natto...
Step 1: This is how the natto packaging looks like!
Step 2: Open the lid and you will find a packet of spicy yellow mustard and soy sauce. You will also immediately notice the pungent smell!!
Step 3: Take off the plastic covering. You will notice there is a sticky substance stretching from the fermented soy beans to the plastic cover. Take you chopsticks and move it in a circular motion until there is no longer a sticky web stretching from the covering.
Step 4: Add your sauces. I just add the soy sauce as I do not like the spicy yellow mustard!
Step 5: Mix! Mix! Mix! I like to mix it till it becomes all frothy!!
Step 6: When the texture is to your satisfaction, eat and enjoy!
If you have the chance and opportunity to try natto, I highly recommend it. If you like it - great, if you don't - try it again after some time and see if your taste buds have changed!
Strange fact: I was sick with the cold the other week and like many people when you are sick with the cold, I could not taste my food - at all. That is until I ate natto! Yup, I tasted every single bite of that natto at lunch!
Thanks for this. I tried Natto for the first time a gew months ago. I was eager to finally try it, but as much as I like to think of myself as an adventurous eater, I did not lile it. The taste reminds me of whiskey, and mixed with the textures it was a bit unbearable. Maybe next time I'll do what you do and soak it with soy sauce. Soy sauce has certainly helped turn me on to many foods I originally didn't like. :)
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