What Japanese dish of fermented soybeans is sometimes used as a sushi topping? The dish is natto.
Natto, also written nattō, is made by fermenting whole soybeans with the bacterium Bacillus subtilis var. natto. The process creates a powerful aroma, a savory flavor, and long sticky strings when the beans are stirred. Natto is often eaten with rice, soy-based sauce, mustard, or chopped green onion, especially as a breakfast food.
One sushi preparation is natto-maki, a rolled sushi in which natto is wrapped with rice and nori. The sticky beans can make the roll difficult to handle, but that texture is part of natto’s identity. Natto is particularly associated with eastern areas of Japan, including the Kantō and Tōhoku regions, although it is eaten throughout the country.
Natto is not the same as tofu, edamame, or miso. Edamame is immature soybeans, tofu is coagulated soy milk, and miso is a salted fermented soybean paste. Natto is fermented whole soybeans, and its strong smell and stringy texture make it one of Japan’s most distinctive traditional foods.