Japanese fermented food "Natto"

 Natto is a Japanese fermented food made from soybeans.
In the old days, steamed soybeans were placed in straw and fermented using the natural bacillus natto bacteria that adhered to the straw.
Each piece of rice straw contains 10 million natto bacillus bacteria.
The natto bacillus that lives in rice straw does not die even in 100°C hot water.
The Japanese of old used this to make natto.

In the past, Japanese people used to eat natto in miso soup.(Utagawa Toyokuni)

A person selling natto

The more you stir natto, the better it tastes.
According to an experiment conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
the umami (savoury) amino acids and sweetening components of natto increase
the more you stir it.

【Amount of amino acids】
Stirring 100 times → 1.5 times
Stirring 200 times → 2.5 times
Stirring 300 times or more → No change from 200 times

【Amount of sweetening components】
Stir 100 times → 2.3 times
Stir 200 times → 3.3 times
Stir 400 times → 4.2 times

When eating natto, it will taste better if you stir it at least 200 times.

 
You can also make natto yourself.
If you wrap steamed soybeans in boiled and sterilized rice straw and tie the ends together,
natto will be ready in about 24 hours.

If you like natto, why not try making it yourself?