Nattō facts for kids

Natto is commonly eaten over rice.

Natto (pronounced nah-toh) is a special Japanese food. It's made from soybeans that have been fermented. This means tiny helpful germs change the soybeans over time. Natto is famous for its unique, strong smell and a sticky, slimy feel. When you stir it, it makes long, stringy threads! People often say its taste is a bit "funky." To make the strong flavors milder, natto is usually eaten on top of rice. It often comes with a soy sauce-based sauce called mentsuyu and Japanese mustard.

What is Natto?

Natto is a very old and traditional food in Japan. It's made by letting soybeans ferment. This process gives natto its special smell, taste, and sticky texture. The stickiness comes from a natural substance created during fermentation.

Types of Natto

There are different kinds of natto you might find. The two main types are Itohiki Natto and Ji Natto. Most people eat Itohiki Natto. This type has three common forms:

• Marudaizu Natto: This is made from whole soybeans.
• Hikiwari Natto: This type uses soybeans that have been crushed before fermenting.
• Goto Natto: This is a less common type.

You will usually see Marudaizu Natto and Hikiwari Natto in stores.

Where to Buy Natto

Natto often comes in small boxes with sauce and mustard packets.

You can easily buy natto in stores, usually in small Styrofoam boxes. These boxes often include tiny packets of mustard and tsuyu. Tsuyu is a special sauce that tastes a bit like soy sauce. These packets help you enjoy natto with extra flavor.

Cooking with Natto

Natto can be used in hand rolls, a type of sushi.

While many people eat natto simply over rice, you can also use it in other dishes. It's not usually cooked for a long time, but it can be added to foods like sushi or donburi.

• Natto Donburi: A donburi is a Japanese meal served in a bowl over rice. You can make a natto donburi by putting natto on top of rice. Sometimes, other ingredients like tuna or egg are added too.
• Nattojiru: This is when natto is added to miso soup to give it more flavor.
• Toppings: Natto can also be used as a topping for other popular Japanese foods. These include Soba noodles, Udon noodles, and even Okonomiyaki (a savory pancake). Some people even put it on Spaghetti!

How to Flavor Natto

Most people mix natto with Soy sauce, tsuyu, and mustard. But you can also add other things to change the taste:

• Egg
• Leek (a type of onion)
• Japanese ginger
• Grated radish
• Laver (a type of seaweed)
• Okra (a green vegetable)

Images for kids

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  A guide showing different sizes of soybeans used for nattō before fermentation.

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  Nattō being stirred with chopsticks, showing its sticky threads.

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  Nattō gunkan maki (Nattō sushi), a popular way to eat it.

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  Nattō wrapped in rice straw, an old-fashioned way to package it.

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  White rice served in a bowl with nattō on top.

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  Nattō topped with karashi mustard and long onion.

See also

In Spanish: Nattō para niños