I have written previously on the delights of natto, Japan’s gift to the world, the fermented bean. (Click here and scroll down to “Beans” if you’re really interested). Pretty much the standard way to eat it is simply mixed up with piping hot rice, chopped scallions and (for the fearless) a raw egg. I’ve gotten bored with that and have decided to try something new. And after a quick search on the internet I found a lot of recipes that with but a few modifications of my own, had me quite excited. Last night I made natto spaghetti. Here’s how. Most natto you get in Japanese supermarkets is pretty much the same but the variety above is organic and therefore good for your soul and the soul of the world…. They say natto should be mixed (exactly) 424 times for perfect results and then left for 20 minutes. Check out that squishy natto goodness: 
Here are the main ingredients: chopped scallions, tuna, spaghetti and of course natto. I also added chopped onions, garlic and seasoning… The seasoning is a secret.
And this is the finished result, served up with a nice glass of “Trapiche” Cabernet Sauvignon… The culinary magic that goes on in between is of course something you can work out for yourself.
Let’s take a closer look at that… Notice the tasteful garnishing with chopped scallions and nori seaweed. I recommend the nori. The more of it the better.
That funky natto taste actually does go surprisingly well with tuna, not a sophisticated taste, more of a homely country-fare type taste. Here is my plate 3 minutes later. (You’ll be needing plenty of tissues when you eat this by the way).
This morning: Natto Pizza Toast! The ingredients are plain sliced bread, chopped onions, red pepper (that’s a magic touch that is!), tomato puree, pizza cheese and sloppy gooey natto gunk. I added some sliced tomatoes as well.
Abracadabra!
And lets take a closer look again at that cheese-coated natto topped toasted bed of taste-sensations!
Again, I was surprised. Tomato and natto go really well together. It’s a strong taste (not for the faint of heart) but I liked it. The natto is still fairly slimy but not as stringy as it normally is. The grilling does that. And this isn’t a crispy pizza, but it’s not too squidgy either. A very healthy breakfast dish! Here’s my plate 3 minutes later.
Stay tuned for further natto adventures!
Rik and I had natto once at an ‘authentic’ Japanese restaurant in Vancouver. We both managed to hold down our gorge but when the squid marinated in its own guts came around, that took some going…I’m sure that natto on spag hetti with green onion and nori could be YUMMY however.
(or- you’ve been in Japan far too long)