Breakfast food from Japan
X-5 : Annisa (06), Fauzio (14)
A. History
Nattō is a traditional Japanese food made from whole soybeans that have been fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. 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.
There are no definite records on how natto originally became part of the Japanese cuisine.
The fermentation process that turns steamed or boiled soy beans into natto is caused by a bacteria named Bacillus subtilis natto, known in Japanese as natto-kin. One of the favored habitats of natto-kin is rice straw. Rice straw was available in abundance in Japan in ancient times. In the Nara and Heian periods, more than a 1,000 years ago, it became fashionable to wrap food in rice straw for transportation.
Some natto historians claim that that is the origin of natto. Someone intended to present someone with a present of boiled soy beans - but during transport the beans had turned into natto.
Another tale tells of an army going to Tohoku in Heian times, fighting local lords. The soldiers were boiling soy beans when they were attacked by the enemy. They quickly wrapped the beans into rice straw and made a retreat. When they opened the straw packages days later, they discovered that the beans had turned soft and smelly and were connected by slimy strings. The soldiers ate them anyway - and they liked them. So did their leader when presented with the beans.
Be it as it may, natto has been around in Japan since at least the Heian Period (794-1185).
In the Taisho Period (1912-1926) however, researchers found a way to artificially grow Bacillus subtilis natto in the laboratory without the need for any straw. Injected into pots of steamed soy beans, the new lab-grown bacteria worked as a reliable starter culture, finally allowing mass production of natto.
From then on, natto could efficiently be manufactured using industrial-size equipment such as large steaming / boiling caldrons. With the right amount of bacteria added, the steamed beans could then mature in any form of clean, non-corrosive container.
B. Ingredient
INGREDIENTS FOR JAPANESE NATTO RECIPE: cups soybeans, Natto Starter Culture
C. Steps
1. Wash the soybeans and soak in 6 cups of water for 9 to 12 hours
2. Drain the soybeans from the soaking water. Place beans in a large pot, fill with water and boil for 2-3 hours, checking every half hour or so.
3. Rinse or dunk a colander, cooking spoon, and casserole dish with boiling water to sterilize.
4. In the sterilized colander, drain the cooked beans and place in the sterilized casserole dish. Turn oven light on so it preheats to 100 degrees F.
5. Stir in the natto powder with 3 Tbs. boiled and cooled (for sterilization) water. While the beans are still warm, pour the natto spore packet over the beans.
6. Spread the beans in a ~1 inch layer in the casserole dish. If at any point in the process the beans spill on the counter, etc., discard those beans to prevent contamination.
7. Tightly cover the casseroled dish with aluminum foil. Poke pin holes in the foil, placed 1" apart.
8. Place the covered casserole dish in the oven, dehydrator, or other warmer and allow the natto to ferment for 22 to 24 hours, being sure to keep the temperature at a steady 100 degrees F.
9. When finished, let the Japanese natto cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Remove aluminum foil and store in covered containers in the refrigerator at least overnight for best flavor and stringiness.
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