What is Japan's Stinkiest Superfood?

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Published 2023-11-22
Have you tried nattō? 🇯🇵🫘

If not, don't worry as we're here to help you expand your palette. Nattō are soybeans that have been fermented by a bacteria called Bacillus subtilis, which naturally exists in rice straw. Atsuya Okuno, a third-generation nattō producer, shares the fascinating history of this traditional Japanese dish. While our resident foodie ‪@BerylShereshewsky‬ gives this unique dish a try for the first time.

Discover the rich flavors and cultural significance of nattō as we embark on a culinary journey through Japan's diverse cuisine.

#Food #Japan #Natto

00:00 Intro
00:31 What is Nattō?
01:24 Bacillus subtilis & the science of it all
02:12 Making nattō
04:20 Beryl tastes nattō

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All Comments (21)
  • @GreatBigStory
    We LOVE tasting and learning about food, snacks and desserts from all around the world. ☺️🌎 We’re making a list…share some food suggestions that you want us to make a video about! 👀👇
  • @Paguun
    Natto tastes bitter when eaten as is. If you mix it thoroughly, around 100 to 300 rotations, the amino acids react with the air, making it sweet. The stickiness strangely disappears when it comes into contact with miso soup. Additionally, it has an unusually fast speed in dissolving blood clots. Please enjoy the healthy food.
  • @K.K.Penguin
    One interesting fact about the Natto bacteria is that it's super strong and invasive. So much that workers working with fermentation (brewery, bakery, winery etc) are not allowed to eat Natto because the bacteria kills the yeasts. Likewise, there're stories where biologists and mushroom farmers had failures in their operation due to eating Natto
  • @MarkyNomad
    Natto with rice, miso soup and grilled salmon in the morning is a great way to start the day. Modern Japanese food is quite unhealthy, contrary to popular belief, but typical Japanese dishes like the classic breakfast mentioned above is extremely healthy.
  • @taraoakes6674
    Two videos with Beryl in one day? Awesome! Nice to see the Great Big Story back!
  • @MTY-eo9ll
    An advice for Natto beginners. Just add a small tip of sugar in a Natto package together with mastered and soy sauce, and stir them at least 50 times. A small amount of sugar makes the taste milder and easy to eat. Sugar also helps nattokinase digest soy bean's protein. This is a popular way to eat Natto in some northern part of Japan. I do this everyday and eat one Natto package every morning.
  • @breadiboyo
    would love to see durian be put under the same light as natto in a video! its such a 50/50 on whether or not people love or hate durian and its so interesting to me
  • @shenko_
    I eat this twice a week as a gut cleanser. 10/10 would recommend.
  • @GreatBigStory
    Tell us about a superfood you can't get enough of! 😁
  • @FishyCase
    I tried natto first without the mustard and tare sauce and I didn't really like it. But buying a Japanese brand in the styrofoam cups, it was pretty good!
  • @matcha_kimono
    Good on you to try natto! People don’t usually eat it on its own but obviously with rice. I love putting pickled Japanese salty plum with it with rice or on toast with mayonnaise. It adds another element to it. Thanks for putting it in a bit better light than most foreigner do and think it negatively.👏🏻
  • @biswadeeprai8897
    It's natto in Japan and it's Kinema in Darjeeling 'India' -we prepare kinema a fermented soyabean which we take it as a delicacy . It's a part of our culture we are mostly connected with the food around us Thankyou for sharing 🙏🥘
  • @cannyp3
    Went back to Japan recently after five years away. Was looking forward to natto more than any other dish.
  • @JohanVanStaal
    Natto is one of my all time favorite things to eat! Definitely a great breakfast with rice.
  • @janbanan157
    Please, try the swedish fermented fish surströmming 🙂
  • I really enjoy your videos about eccentric and unique foods from around the world. The deserts are my favorite though like the giant spit cake that looks like a Christmas Tree.
  • @TokyoPaul
    Natto is definitely an acquired taste like Taiwanese stinky tofu. It is sticky, but cheap dish that you can buy from Japanese supermarkets starting from 70 yen or (~50 cents per pack of 3).
  • What funny was that when i was visiting my grandparents i tried some natto with a raw egg and it tastes good and i have been eating natto mostly at dinner ever since (im korean and Japanese btw)😅
  • @meinona9947
    Would love to see you try raw herring & onion. It's Dutch 'Sushi' 😊 I love it!
  • @Fafnerluver922
    I LOOOVE NATTO! Most recent dish I had it with was with tuna, cuttlefish, and an egg yolk which were all raw.