A visitor to my blog asked me to do a post about what I eat for dinner since my wife is Japanese and I’ve been living in Japan for most of my life now.
So, I’m writing this post about a unique and healthy dish that I had for dinner yesterday. Rather than explain the side-dishes that I had, as well…I’m just going to focus on the one dish.
This particular Japanese dish is extremely unpopular with most foreigners in Japan.
It’s called 「納豆」 (nattou) and is fermented soybeans.
Nattou is very sticky and stringy and has a very unpleasant odor…but it’s healthy and it actually tastes good.
I’ll admit that the first time that I tried natto I was repulsed by it’s appearance and smell…and I didn’t like it’s taste either. But I gave it a second chance because I noticed that my kids liked it even when they were young—“if kids can eat it, then so can I”, I thought.
So…even if you’ve tried natto before and didn’t like it—give it another shot. Especially the way I had it yesterday.
Japanese natto and Korean kimuchi over rice…better than it looks!
My favorite way to eat 納豆 (natto) is over rice with キムチ (Korean kimuchi) on top.
Kimuchi is a staple of the Korean diet…spicy pickled cabbage. And it goes great with natto and rice!
It’s a delicious and healthy dish!
Give it a try!
Tokyo Five 
I eat kimchi, but I’m still not a fan of nattou. I can’t get past the smell and stickiness. However, next time mom has it out… I’ll give it a try.
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Yeah, you should try it. It tastes good despite it’s appearance.
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hmmm I will try it but I’m not looking forward to it, I’ll admit.
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Well, not “twisting your arm”… but it is good. And healthy.
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It can smell like feet! I love it now but also did not like it on first try. A Japanese once asked how I can eat stinky cheese with green mold in it and not natto…gave it a second chance and now I like it.
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Yeah, natto is good … just can be a shock at first.
How do you eat natto?
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I like it mixed w/onion and a chopped up ume boshi but I also put in black pepper…which many think is weird. pepper gives it a nice kick. I like the kimchee version too!
There’s an all you can eat natto place in setagaya-ku. I might tweet it later if I find it.
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Oh … with ume-boshi sounds good too!
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Sounds like a challenge. I will give it a go next time I’m in Japan.
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Have you ever eaten natto? Or Kimuchi?
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Definately eaten kimuchi. As recently as last month in Japan. But, I haven’t eaten natto before.
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So you’ve eaten the Korean dish in Japan, but not the Japanese one?
😉
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Strange I know. I went all the way to Japan to go to a Korean restaurant. Wild daro!
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>all the way to Japan to go to a Korean restaurant
Next time, you’ll have to go to Japanese restaurants!
Where did you go to a Korean restaurant? In Shin-Okubo (Tokyo’s “Little Korea”)?
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Amagasaki actually, to visit a Korean friends restaurant. We ate at Japanese restaurants every other day…just not nattou.
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I don’t eat natto in a restaurant either … only at home
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