Smelly Feet = The Smell of Success: Making Natto

This has nothing to do with living in a small home.  Actually it does.  I HATE spending money on something I can do myself.  I read about this Japanese superfood called Natto (fermented soybeans), and my taste buds HAD to try it.  How can you NOT want to taste something that has been described as smelling like stinky feet?

Basically, Natto came into existence several thousand years ago.  Almost all sources that I have found make mention that Natto was made by "accident" from boiled soybeans preserved in straw.  Its health benefits are innumerable.  You can google it.

Here is what well made Natto looks like – remember, this is fermented soybeans you are looking at:

Fermented Soybeans, yum

Here is the process:  First, purchase Non GMO soybeans from Laura’s Soybeans.

Next, soak overnight.  Or all day, if you are a night owl.  Then you will steam them.  I use the pressure cooker method, about 3/4 cup of water for 15 minutes.  I have a ‘fan’ type steamer that spreads out in the pressure cooker, and I place the beans evenly.  This is one half lb of beans.  I usually make 1 lb total, I have two steamers and two pressure cookers in my tiny, tiny kitchen.  Steam the soybeans until you can smush them between your thumb and pointer finger.

They already look delicious.  These are the cooked beans.  Next, I take my two glass cooking pans that have been sterilized, and place the beans in a shallow layer  (I sterilize them by placing them in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes).  I have heard horrors about how bad this can be if you do not use properly sterilized utensils and pans.  So do not skip this step.  I love Natto.

Now you will take your Natto Spores, a powder you will purchase here: Cultures for Health.  You mix a tiny tiny spoonful (use the spoon they provide) with 1/8 cup of water, some salt, and 1 tsp of sugar.  Mix this concoction with the steamed soybeans.

The beans are now ready to ferment. The basic idea for creating an ideal environment is to keep the beans in a humid, warm climate at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. You will have happy beans.  Place the pans in a rigged up Natto maker like mine; I use a Styrofoam cooler and a pet heating pad (don’t use the heating pad with your pets if you are going to do this, OBVIOUSLY, everything must be sterile).  Man, I love Natto.

Poke holes in the aluminum foil to allow air to pass through, and put a thermometer from your kids’ science kit on top.  Let the soybeans do their thing for 12 to 24 hours.

When your small house (or big house) begins smelling mildly of smelly feet, you have smelt (I KNOW that is not a word) the smell of success.  Oh, I do love Natto.

If you want to purchase Natto premade (which I suggest, so that you have an idea of what good Natto tastes like first), you can get it here: http://www.meguminatto.com/order.html

I LOVE this stuff.  Mixed with green onions, and low sodium soysauce, over brown rice….I am drooling now. 

Next, I return to how to make a deck out of a pallet.