Japanese people serve natto, Western guests love it, say it's more delicious than cheese

Natto - fermented soybeans

According to Japan's Ministry of Finance , in 2023, Japan's fermented soybean exports hit an all-time high of 1.9 billion yen ($12.8 million).

Natto - a taste that needs to be familiarized

Videos showing how to eat natto are popping up on social media, while retailers are creating new ways to promote the dish – which is often delicately described as having a “taste that takes getting used to”.

Natto shops in Tokyo are increasingly popular with foreigners, with lines forming even on weekdays. "I eat natto every day because it is a perfect source of protein," said Zal Heiwa Sethna, whose parents are Slovenian and Indian.

The most popular natto meal at natto shop Kobo Sendaiya in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo is a combo dish that costs 850 yen ($5.70) and includes rice, miso soup, a raw egg and nine types of all-you-can-eat natto.

Kobo Sendaiya natto store in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo

"Foreign customers have increased recently and now make up about 10% of our total customers. They come here to experience 'something scary' but with a Japanese style," said manager Satoshi Nagatsuka.

Most of the foreign customers who come to Mr. Nagatsuka's shop are from China, Korea, Thailand, the United States and France. A French tourist said: "It tastes like cheese and is surprisingly delicious."

To attract more foreign customers, the Kobo Sendaiya store is promoting its baked natto cakes, emphasizing that the natto mixed into the dough is "odorless."

According to manager Nagatsuka, the most popular variety is the 170 yen "odorless donut," which is slightly sweet but still has a subtle natto aroma—so subtle that customers often wouldn't notice it unless the store said so:

"We want to win over people who previously avoided natto because of its viscosity and smell."

Natto is usually sold in plastic foam packets or paper cups. In Japan, it is common to mix or stir the natto to make it stickier, season it with soy sauce, and eat it with rice.

Natto is considered a superfood, the secret to longevity of the Japanese.

Natto is a really interesting dish.

Ministry of Finance statistics show that Japan's natto export value is set to double by 2023 compared to 2017, with notable growth from 2020.

In Indonesia, natto has become a hot commodity in supermarkets thanks to the viral viral video series “#nattochallenge,” in which people overreact to the smell of natto when they open a package, said Fitria, an Indonesian.

However, after eating, they smile and often give a thumbs up. Many of these videos also provide recipes using natto.

Fitria is one of the posters in the #nattochallenge series. She wrote: "Although everyone is afraid to try it at first, natto is a really interesting food and its slightly salty taste is very enjoyable." Currently, she occasionally eats natto mixed with salad.

According to the Japan Natto Cooperative Federation, natto is commonly consumed by people in Korea, Thailand and China because they are familiar with fermented soybean foods.

Notably, there has been a significant increase in natto consumption in the West since around 2022.

"The vegan diet is gaining traction as a trendy lifestyle on the West Coast and elsewhere, which has encouraged such consumers to regularly eat natto," noted a US federal official.

Foreigners are increasingly fond of natto.

TerraZen Centre, a vegan restaurant in the Dutch capital Amsterdam, serves sushi rolls, salads and rice made with natto.

The restaurant's original recipe called for diced avocado, tomatoes and a small amount of olive oil to be added to natto. Restaurant operator Izaba says natto hasn't really become a trend yet, but "it's interesting, it's a flavor that any vegetarian or health-conscious person can adapt to."

Natto manufacturers have also proactively come up with recommended recipes to make natto more suitable for foreign tastes.

Among them, adding natto to salad, often appearing on social media posts about natto seems delicious but that is not really appealing.

An overseas operations officer at Takanofoods, a leading natto maker in northeastern Tokyo, recommends serving natto on potato chips.

The crunch of this snack offsets the stickiness of the fermented soybeans and makes this combination similar to Mexican "nachos."

The salty taste of this dish also pairs well with some alcoholic beverages. Another revolutionary combination is combining natto with vanilla ice cream, the staff added.

The mixture is “like Turkish ice cream and could be labeled as a sweet.” The sweetness of the ice cream counteracts the more pungent components of the natto—and it can even be drunk as a milkshake once the ice cream melts.

Additionally, in countries where people commonly eat soup, natto may fit into the diet.

For example, combining natto with soy milk makes the beans easier to eat because they lose their stickiness. Meanwhile, using maple syrup instead of soy sauce increases the stickiness of natto but also gives the dish a moderate sweetness.

Although natto has a long history of being eaten with rice, its growing popularity overseas shows that this soft bean has the potential to become a versatile food and demand is expected to increase.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nguoi-nhat-dai-mon-natto-khach-tay-me-tit-khen-ngon-hon-pho-mai-2024102106114964.htm