Nattō
Traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans
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Key Takeaways
- Nattō ( 納豆 ) is a traditional Japanese food made from whole soybeans that have been fermented with Bacillus subtilis var.
- It is served with karashi mustard, soy or tare sauce, and sometimes Japanese bunching onion.
- Nattō is often considered an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and sticky, slimy texture.
- History Sources differ about the earliest origin of nattō .
- Legendary origins One story about the origin of nattō attributes it to the samurai Minamoto no Yoshiie (1039–1106), who was on a campaign in northeastern Japan between 1086 and 1088 AD.
Nattō (納豆) is a traditional Japanese food made from whole soybeans that have been fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. natto. It is often served as a breakfast food with rice. It is served with karashi mustard, soy or tare sauce, and sometimes Japanese bunching onion. Within Japan, nattō is most popular in the eastern regions, including Kantō, Tōhoku, and Hokkaido.
Nattō is often considered an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and sticky, slimy texture. 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.
History
Sources differ about the earliest origin of nattō. 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.
Legendary origins
One story about the origin of nattō attributes it to the samurai Minamoto 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.
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