I’m American and in the last several years have grown an affinity for Japanese food. I’ve learned how to make onigiri, gyoza, hanami & mitarashi dango, and Japanese soufflé cheesecake & pancakes from scratch. And I love love love matcha.
But the one thing I haven’t been able to find in local Asian marts near me is NATTŌ. It’s been a dream of mine to try it for 2 years now and I finally found some at Mitsuwa. Honestly, I’ve heard the horror stories and I didn’t think I’d like it, but I DO. I’ve tried it in white rice with scallions and nori and on toast with butter and on toast with cheese. If anyone has any other suggestions, I’d love to hear it. I have to make another trip to buy more though 💔
Anyway, if you’re someone who’s been scared to try it, this is your sign to just DO IT. The smell is not pungent (smells mildly like coffee) and I don’t think it’s as slimy feeling as people make it out to be nor does the flavor taste too strong (I’d say savory but slightly bitter). But take my word with a grain of salt because I’ve only tried one brand — Shirakiku Natto Kotsubu Mini. 🙂
by meganopolis
23 Comments
When I was in Fukuoka, the hotel had it for breakfast but I was too scared to try it and I really regret it now.
Some people manufacture it with very large soybeans which is really really good. Also, there’s a snack where they are freeze-dried which has a really good flavour. Kind of like a Japanese twiglet which is an English snack
When I was working at a company in Tokyo, there was a cafeteria downstairs, and most days I’d get a hiyayakko, miso soup, natto and rice. Couldn’t be happier.
Okay, i really tried to like it. To me, it just kept tasting like chemicals. Multiple versions, trying all sorts of mixing methods, add ins. Egg yolks, rice, soy sauce, hot sauce. I just couldn’t like it. Is there a type of natto that is more mild? Any better tips for making it palatable?
Natto is the best
My first time in Japan, I tried some from the hotel’s breakfast spread, not knowing what it was. And thought it was fine, but also was appreciating the novelty of curry being offered at breakfast, and a raw egg for my rice along with the furikake and pickled vegetables.
Going back, mainly I had natto in a rice ball at breakfast, since I was staying in apartments or the occasional capsule hotel and going to the konbini for a bite and a can of Boss Black to start the day. But it’s been more recently, with a good selection of different brands of natto at the Asian grocery stores back in the States, that I’ve made it a breakfast staple. Unless I’m out of town, about the only mornings I don’t eat it are after I forget to move a pack from the freezer to the fridge to thaw overnight.
Adding it to rice, initially, but now I only do that if I have leftover rice. Instead, I eat it right from the pack, with some pickled veggies and maybe a quail egg. The aroma, taste, and texture, I’ve always liked. Though I whisk it just enough to hold together when eaten with chopsticks. I’m not into creating a lot of “film” around it.
Natto is so good. At first I bought some in my home country but was so put off by the smell and bitterness that I had to throw it away. Gave it a try later and really loved the taste. Now natto is actually part of many breakfasts for me.
I love it too. Unfortunately the Asian grocery store where I used to find them no longer makes them. 🙁
I’m sure it’s tasty but my god that looks exactly like my dog’s throw up
So incredibly good for your heart, blood vessels, arteries etc…
Keep eating all the Natto!!
I love it too 😉 My SO is not convinced lol
Welcome to the natto fan club
I am so unbelievably jealous of folks who love natto. I want to love it. Soybeans and fermented foods are some of my favorite things, but somehow the combination just doesn’t work for me. 🙁
[Natto on spaghetti with nori and green onions](https://www.kikkoman.com/en/cookbook/recipe/00000442.html) (recipe has chives, but I use green onion) is very tasty 😊
i proved natto for the first time and i hate it, i never feel that bad for eat somenthing, i have foods i dislike but i still can eat normally, but natto give me nausea. i tryed to munch it make me worse so i just swallow and drink the misoshiro next to me as fast as possible… the worst thing i ever eat (so far)
It’s awesome.
I have always loved natto. I was especially eager to try real authentic Japanese natto as soon as I got to Japan. I was hosted by mountain villages who wanted to have me try their local foods and I delighted a few and also disappointed a few by being so happy to eat every iteration of natto. Lol
Natto, okra, and nagaimo over a bed of rice. Neba-neba don FTW
Whoof I’m happy you like it. I tried it when I was in Tokyo and it took a lot for me to not spit it out. I adore when I find new things to eat and it does suck when I hate it, one less thing I can eat.
I was at a very very nice restaurant then and did enjoy everything else that was given to me.
I like to add an egg to the natto and rice for breakfast, it’s great as a topping in hot or cold soba, I put on top of tofu with green onions and a drizzle of soy sauce, tamagoyaki and eat with natto
I don’t know if Mitsuwa stocks it, but if you have any H-Marts in your area, they have [a particular brand I’ve come to enjoy quite a bit. ](https://www.jfc.com/product/item/84801)Mizkan brand Kin no Tsubu – tamago shoyu tare. Very small beans, very smooth and somewhat rich flavor. It doesn’t have any of the salty funk natto normally does (which I was kind of disappointed by, as I enjoy said funk) but is really delicious. Honestly, it’s a solid starter natto for people who might be on the fence about the more pungent varieties.
I had it on gunkan sushi which made the textural strangeness a lot easier to ignore.
not the same without the egg