納豆 - なっとう - Nattou

A quick quiz. I have a very strong flavour and smell. I'm very nutritious. Most people either love me or hate me. I'm often eaten for breakfast. It's almost a national pastime to feed me to unsuspecting visitors and enjoy their reactions. Who am I?

The correct answer is 納豆, but you could definitely be forgiven for saying Vegemite. In fact, a lot of the students who try Vegemite here say it's "オーストラリアの納豆" (Australia's nattou) because of the similarities. Let's have a look at "Japan's Vegemite" and see what it's all about.

納豆 is essentially fermented soybeans. It's made by boiling the beans then adding a bacterial culture called "natto bacillus" and letting them ferment. 納豆 is probably best known for its sticky strands - when it's stirred up before being eaten, it throws off long threads of what looks like spiderweb. Because of the sticky syrupiness of it, a lot of people make the mistake of thinking it's sweet, which it most certainly isn't. By this point the strong smell should have been enough warning though. I think it smells and tastes a bit rotten like blue cheese, but apparently it varies from person to person.  I'm told that there are other forms of 納豆 that don't have strings as well as dried and even candied forms, but I haven't been too interested in experimenting further since I first tried it!

納豆 is most often eaten on its own or on rice, but it also comes in soup and on 寿司 (すし - sushi). I've even heard of 納豆スパゲッティー (nattou spaghetti)! It's also commonly flavoured with 醤油 (しょうゆ - shouyu - soy sauce), ニンニク (ninniku - garlic), ゴマ (goma - sesame) or ショウガ (shouga - ginger) - it depends on the person and the region it's being eaten. It's generally not as popular in the 関西 (かんさい - Kansai) region in the West of Japan where I am, though. I'm not unhappy about this.

The people who eat 納豆 regularly are definitely getting their money's worth - it's an excellent source of protein and is apparently very good for disease prevention as well as the brain, bones and digestive system. More power to them, I say! A lot of Japanese people don't like 納豆, just as a lot of Australian people don't like Vegemite. The most surprising thing I've found is how many Japanese and Australian people like the international version but not their own!

Be prepared for endless questions and gentle ribbing about whether you've tried 納豆 when you visit. If you're feeling brave or curious, you can buy single-serve packs of 納豆 in the supermarket fridge and most 寿司 restaurants have one or two menu items with 納豆 on top. Giving it a go at least once is a win-win - if you like it, you'll be on the way to a clean bill of health. If not, you'll have an excuse to pass around that jar of Vegemite and get revenge!