History of Natto and Its Relatives (1405-2012 - SoyInfo Center

in traditional foods, including roughly 350,000 tons of
tofu (bean curd), 180,000 of miso (bean paste), and 70,000
of natto (fermented beans). The remaining tonnage goes
into other native products, such as kinako (processed [dry
roasted] beans) and frozen tofu, and into fresh soybean
consumption.
“Manchurian beans, produced in the colder regions of
North China (usually north of 43º latitude), have long been
considered the best tasting for fermented foods like miso and
natto.”
“Outside of the PRC, the varieties of beans preferred by
the food manufacturers are found in colder climates, such
as Canada and the northern regions of the United States.”
Several “Japanese trading fi rms involved in importing
food-type beans have come to prefer soybeans produced in
Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. These beans, known
among the trade as IOM (Indiana, Ohio, Michigan) beans,
made up close to 500,000 tons of the food beans imported by
Japan last year and go largely into tofu and related foods.”
Note: This is the earliest English-language document seen
(Jan. 2008) that uses the abbreviation “IOM” in connection
with soybeans.
“Around 55,000 tons of ‘identity-preserved’ varieties
also were imported last year.” Producers are looking for
a large bean with a white hilum and high protein and
carbohydrate content. All food beans must be #1 grade
quality. Talks with miso/natto manufacturers have revealed
that U.S. varieties Amsoy, Corsoy, Kanrich, and Beeson
meet this general description. However, a bean with all the
desired features comparable to the PRC’s, particularly as
related to taste, is not as yet commercially available in the
U.S. Address: Foreign Market Development, Oilseeds and
Products, Foreign Agricultural Service.
706. Birnbaum, Alfred. 1977. Re: Homemade natto and natto
recipes. Letter to William Shurtleff at New-Age Foods Study
Center, June 11. 5 p. Handwritten (in pencil) and signed.
• Summary: “Dear Bill–I enclose more in the way of nattô
recipes, which I hope will prove of interest to you. I also
wish to clarify some things in my description of the nattomaking
process: namely that the bacteria are aerobic and
so the fermenting beans should not be placed in air-tight
containers (I place my bean-cultures in plastic tofu tubs
and cover–but I do not seal–with foil or plastic bags before
putting in any insulated environment e.g., wrapping with
towels and placing in unheated oven); secondly, more
cooking than the cited 3-4 hours may be necessary to achieve
the desired degree of softness in the soybeans depending on
the pre-soaking time and cooking fl ame (an all-day ‘slowcooker’
crock-pot might prove the ideal in cooking the beans,
although extremely energy consuming).
“I hope that your research in Indonesia went well
and that the upcoming conference on seaweeds will prove
equally successful.
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HISTORY OF NATTO AND ITS RELATIVES 241
“Please let me know if there is anything I might be able
to do for you, I hope I will be able to meet you sometime.
Gasshô, Alfred.
“P.S. I made my fi rst tofu with the Learning Tree kit
from the New-age Center. I know of few investments better
than those of acquiring self-suffi ciency skills–your teaching
has let me know the rewards of making tofu. Thank you.”
“Further suggestions for natto: Use in Okonomiyaki
[savory Japanese-style pancakes]. Roll in hakusai [cabbage]
leaves in a sudare and top with goma-ae [ground sesameseed]
dressing.”
On pages 2-5 are some of Alfred’s favorite natto recipes:
(1) Nattô “cutlets” á la Pokarski–Adapted from a traditional
Russian dish. With Paprika sauce. It calls for “1½ c. nattô,
ground or blended in a blender or suribachi to a paste (“nattô
butter”).
“Yaki nattô or Nattô agé-yaki: Perhaps my favorite nattô
dish, enjoyed even by persons who normally dislike the taste
of nattô. Spoon natto by the tablespoonful into agé [deepfried
tofu] pouches (4 tablespoons each on the average) and
pan-fry in oil or butter over medium heat approximately 3-5
minutes on each side. Drain on drip-screen or paper towels.
Serve while still steaming hot with a dip of shoyu, karashi
[Japanese-style mustard] and chopped green onions, or
grated daikon and ginger.”
Chilaquiles con nattô: An adaptation of a Mexican
“platillo pobre” (poor-person’s dish). Sauces for Chilaquiles:
Salsa verde (green enchilada sauce), salsa roja (red enchilada
sauce), molé poblano (a dark rich chile sauce...).
“I assume that you already have or can easily obtain
recipes for the following standard nattô dishes: Nattô shiru
[soup]. Iwate nattô mochi (mochi-wrapped nattô). Nattô
maki-zushi [natto in sushi]. Nattô-kake soba” [Natto over
buckwheat noodles].
Nattô oroshi agé. Nattô aé [six different combinations].
Address: 1048 West 39th Place, Los Angeles, California
90037.
707. Case, Barbara. 1977. Re: Interested in obtaining natto
starter. Letter to William Shurtleff at New-Age Foods Study
Center, July 18. 1 p. Handwritten, without signature.
• Summary: “As stated in ‘The Book of Tofu’–to address
questions to your address–I am wondering how I might
obtain Bacillus natto. Please send any information to me...
Thank you.” Address: c/o People’s Co. Bakery, 1534 E. Lake
St., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55407.
708. Aoki, S.; Aihara, S.; Kikuchi, K. 1977. [On some
conditions of the fermentation process affecting natto
quality]. Natto Kagaku Kenkyu Kaishi (J. of the Natto
Research Society) 1(1):13-17. [Jap]*
709. Hayashi, U.; Nagao, K.; Ueda, T.; Kitamura, K. 1977.
[Nutritional value of natto with precooked ramen]. Natto