Natto Grissini

Grissini, or “breadsticks”, are great for an appetizer, to dip in soups or as a stand-alone snack. We make our grissini with natto, which gives it a nice flavor with a boost of Vitamin K. Follow the recipe below to make your own!

 

• Whole wheat flour (Bread) 100g
• Pastry flour 120g
• Baking soda 1/4 teaspoon
• Toasted white sesame seed 1 Tablespoon
• A pinch of Fennel seed
• Salt 1/2 teaspoon
• Olive oil 40g
• About 80g Natto
• Water 180cc

Preheat the oven to 300F

1. Chop natto very finely.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients.
3. Combine all the wet ingredients.
4. Mix all together until combined well.
5. Shape dough into thin long strips.
6. Bake for 15-20 min at 300F until crispy.
7. Transfer to a rack to cool, and store them airtight.

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Recipe: Natto Fritters

Throwing a party any time soon? Natto Fritters are perfect finger foods for you to service your family, friends and guests!

 

• 5 tablespoons (rounded) natto
• 2 flat-leaf parsley stalks
• 1/6 pound frozen edamame, shelled Salt
• 1 tablespoon cake flour
• Salad oil for frying
• 1 small egg
• 175ml beer
• 1/4 pound all-purpose flour

1. In a medium bowl, put the edamame and natto, season with a pinch of salt, and coat with the cake flour.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg. Add the beer and all-purpose flour and stir gently until smooth.
3. Add the edamame mixture into the large bowl and mix it in.
4. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees.
5. Shape the mixture into small disks with a large spoon and deep fry, a few at a time, until deep golden brown.
6. French fry the parsley.
7. Serve the fritters with the parsley on the side. Serves 2.

Recipe: Peperoncino with Natto & Cabbage

Who would have ever thought to blend Italian pasta with fermented soybeans and vegetables? Megumi Natto, that’s who! Peperoncino with Natto & Cabbage is a delicious to your dinner menu. Enjoy your natto experience, and don’t forget to tag us on your natto posts on Instagram at @meguminatto!

 

 

 

• 5 tablespoons natto (rounded)
• 1/3 pound spaghetti
• 4 cabbage leaves, shredded
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 dried hot red pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh basil leaves

1. Bring a large covered pot of salted water to boil.
2. Add the spaghetti and cabbage and cook until the spaghetti is al dente.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté briefly the garlic and red pepper to release its fragrance.
4. When the spaghetti and cabbage are done, drain them. Transfer them to the skillet, season with salt, pepper, and natto and toss well.
5. Served immediately, topped with the basil. Serves 2.

Recipe: Penne With Natto Tomato Sauce

 

A delicious natto spin on a classic Italian dish!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 pound penne

Natto tomato sauce:

• 5 tablespoons (rounded) natto
• 1 can of tomato in spring water, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 dried hot red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sake (rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons miso, preferably hattyo miso
• Salt and black pepper
• 5 Japanese basil leaves, chopped (optional)

Procedure:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, make the natto tomato sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add the garlic and hot red pepper and sauté briefly to release their fragrance.
3. Add the onion and and sauté until they soften. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper, the tomato, and sake and simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in the miso and natto. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
5. When the penne is done, drain it. Add the penne to the skillet and toss.
6. Transfer the penne to a warmed serving bowl and sprinkle with the Japanese basil, if using. Serves 2.

Recipe: Natto & Lentil Burgers

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 onion, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 small potato, grated
• 1 small carrot, grated
• 1 small egg
• 3/4 tablespoon miso
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sake (rice wine)
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 5 tablespoons (rounded) natto
• 2 tablespoons safflower seeds (optional)
• 2 tablespoons white roasted sesame seeds
• Salt and black pepper
• 6 whole-wheat buns, toasted
• Dijon mustard and lettuce

 

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a saucepan, bring 1 cup of water, the lentils, and the bay leaf to a simmer.
3. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
4. Remove the bay leaf from the pan, drain them, and set aside.
5. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté briefly to release its fragrance.
6. Add the onion and stir-fry until transparent.
7. Stir in the potato and carrot and cook about for 3 minutes.
8. In a large bowl, beat the egg to blend.
9. Stir in the onion mixture, the lentils, and the remaining ingredients, and mix them thoroughly.
10. On an oiled baking sheet, shape the mixture into 6 patties.
11. Bake in the oven, turning halfway through cooking, until each side is golden on the bottom, about 15 minutes total.
12. Serve on the buns with mustard and lettuce. Makes 6.

 

To read more about Megumi Natto and where to purchase, visit the Megumi Natto website at http://www.meguminatto.com.

Recipe: Natto Soba Salad

 

Soba is a noodle made from buckwheat, and adding natto to a soba salad can give a lot of flavor and texture to your meal!

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound soba (buckwheat-noodles), preferably cha soba (tea-buckwheat-noodles)
• 5 tablespoons (rounded) natto
• 1/2 English cucumber, sliced diagonally
• 3 tablespoons diagonally-chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup daikon sprouts (or alfalfa sprouts)
• Soy sauce dressing:
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice (grate and squeeze ginger to get juice)
• 2 teaspoons white roasted sesame seeds

Procedure

1. Make the soy sauce dressing: In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients of the dressing.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
3. Break the soba in half and add to the boiling water.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, for the minutes instructed on the package of the soba.
5. Drain the soba, rinse thoroughly under running cold water, and drain again.
6. In a large bowl, mix the soba, natto, cucumber, and green onion.
7. Transfer them to a serving dish and top with the daikon sprouts.
8. Pour on the dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serves 2.

To read more about natto, visit the Megumi Natto website at http://www.meguminatto.com.

Recipe: Open-Face Natto Panini

 

Paninis are sandwiches that are made on toasted bread and typically topped off with warm cheese, deli meats, and vegetables. Megumi Natto took this recipe one step further and made it not only open-faced, but added natto as the main ingredient.

Ingredients

• 1 slice country-style bread
• 2 tablespoons natto, chopped
• 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
• Salt and black pepper
• Curry powder

Procedure

1. In a small bowl, combine the chopped natto, mayonnaise, and a pinch of curry until it makes a paste.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Spread the bread with the natto paste and grill it in a toaster oven or broil it until golden brown. Serves 1.

To read more about natto, visit the Megumi Natto website at http://www.meguminatto.com.

 

Recipe: Natto Bruschetta

Bruschetta made with natto

Bruschetta is an appetizer from Italy that traditionally is made of toasted bread, topped with tomato and vegetables, and sometimes cured meat or cheese. Here are 2 Megumi Natto bruchetta recipes, using a Japanese fermented soybean delicacy called natto.

Natto & Cheese Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 8 1/2-inch-thick slices of French or Italian bread
• 5 tablespoons of Megumi Natto (rounded)
• 1 tablespoon cream cheese
• Salt and black pepper

Procedure

1. In a small bowl, mix the natto and cream cheese.
2. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
3. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
4. Place the bread in the oven until golden and toasty.
5. Spread the natto mixture on the bread. Serves 4.

 

Natto & Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

• Approximately 3 tbsp of Megumi Natto
• 8 1/2-inch-thick slices of French or Italian bread
• 5 cherry tomato
• 1/6 onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, Pepper, dry oregano to taste
• Basil leaves

Procedure

1. Chop Natto finely.
2. Dice cherry tomatoes coarsely.
3. Mince onion.
4. In a small bowl, mix Natto, cherry tomatoes, onion, Olive oil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
5. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the bread in the oven until golden and toasty.
6. Spread the natto mixture on the bread. Garnish with basil.

To read more about natto, visit the Megumi Natto website at http://www.meguminatto.com.

 

JTF Helps Young Tsunami Victims in Japan

Left: Mitsunaga, a volunteer, holding up a poster with our company’s “Japan relief” symbol

Since Japan Traditional Foods (JTF) started selling Natto Taro last May, we have been collecting $0.10 of every purchase of this product for a donation for the children that were affected by last year’s Earthquake and Tsunami disaster.

As of September, 2011, $280 has been donated, and last month, a clock was donated to the Kuzumaki Highland Farm, an organization in Iwate prefecture where the son of Dallas Akimoto, factory manager at JTF, volunteers.

 

The donation was made in the hopes that children affected by the disaster would spend time with other children, give and receive support from their peers, make new friendships, understand nature’s hardships, and appreciate food and precious resources.

CEO/Founder 　Minami Satoh

Above:  Smiling kids holding up a catalogue of 5 adorable clocks

Latest Research on Natto Revealed at Health Food Seminar in Tokyo

On December 13, 2010, the 7^th Annual Natto Health Food Seminar was held in Hamamatsu-cho, Tokyo, at the WTC Conference Center (World Trade Center Building, 3^rd Floor).

The seminar’s theme was “how natto can contribute to a healthy mind and body,” and the objective of the seminar was for participants to gain further understanding of natto through the latest research on food nutritional science, food culture, and general macrobiotic food research.

Bacillus natto

Professor Nishihori, of Shikoku College, Human Health Division, Dietary Nutrition, presented his results on “natto’s polyamine concentrations – how to measure polyamine content.” Professor Nishihori reports that there are three types of polyamines involved in cell growth, with spermidine and spermine having the greatest anti-aging effects. Many different types of beans contain these two elements, especially if they are dried, but when these beans are made into baked beans, tofu, or miso, the polyamine content is greatly reduced. However, even when natto is preserved, the content of these two polyamines is not affected, therefore making natto a highly polyamine-concentrated product. One pack (50g) of natto contains 20% of a Japanese individual’s intake of spermidine and spermine, making natto a favorable source of polyamines.

Lastly, Assistant Professor Soda, of Saitama Medical Center Jichi Medical University spoke on the additional benefits of natto’s polyamines. According to Assistant Professor Soda, the molecular weight of the component in the human body that can be absorbed from the intestines and that digests and absorbs favorable elements is 1,000. Because spermidine and spermine, the polyamines contained in natto, have a molecular weight of 200, they are extremely easy to absorb. It has been shown that these polyamines are able to inhibit LFA-1, an inciting factor for inflammation, which can result in thrombosis.

Based upon an analysis of data from the WHO’s epidemiology survey and research on polyamine content in foods, Assistant Professor Soda recommends a Mediterranean diet, which includes olive oil, fruit, cheese, yoghurt, and seafood. Additionally, he explained that eating, on average, one pack (40~50g) of natto a day may prevent lifestyle-related diseases and the polyamines in natto may prevent diseases like arterial sclerosis.