Natto is something that many people never give a second chance. Most never even give it a first chance. There are many reasons for this, most having to do with the smell and texture. The texture is like cooked beans covered in slug slime. Like slug slime, if you touch it, you’ll have a tough time getting it off your hands. It also has an odd smell. I guess since its fermented soy beans, the smell is of rotting things. Beans in this case.

Dispite its faults, it is a reaaly great food. It is made by steaming soy beans, and allowing them to ferment in a warm location for a day or two. They are normally bought in stirofoam packs of individual servings. You can find it at any good Japanese market. To eat, open the pack and pull out the mustard and soy sauce packets. Next, remove the clear plastic covering. You may need to spin the plastic or use chopsticks to disconnect the slime before throwing the plastic away. Now add the mustard and soy sauce and stir with your chopsticks until it’s frothy. The more you stir, the more it breaks down the slime. Eat it over a bowl of fresh steemed rice.

It may be a strange food, but it’s among the most healthy foods on earth, so give it try.