Natto

The following recipe for natto maki will appeal to anyone looking for a very healthy vegetarian sushi recipe.

It is produced by fermenting soybeans with bacteria.

That said, natto is definately an accquired taste! In my local Japanese grocery store it is sold in small styrofoam packages.

They are very sticky and almost slimy. The smell which some politely describe as pungent is more like the smell of a dirty sock!

In Japan, natto is often served on rice for breakfast or added to miso soup or tempura.

I can't say I'm a big fan of the stuff, but who knows maybe you'll like it in this recipe. A word of warning! Don't serve it to friends or family members who are new to sushi.

The following recipe for natto maki makes two hoso-maki (thin rolls):

Ingredients

• small container of natto

• 1 cup of prepared sushi rice

• 1 sheet of toasted nori seaweed

• scallions

• wasabi paste

Method

1. Cut a sheet of nori in half and place the shiny side facing down on a bamboo rolling mat.
2. Moisten your hands with a little water and make a ball out of 1/2 cup of your sushi rice.
3. Gently spread the rice across the seaweed, remembering to leave a strip of seawead bare at the top.
4. Smear a small amount of wasabi paste across the center of the sushi rice.
5. Spread the natto evenly across the rice. As they are very sticky, you may wish to use a small teaspoon that has been moistened with water and pair of chopsticks to layer it evenly.
6. Sprinkle on some choped scallions.
7. Moisten the bare strip of nori
8. Place both of your thumbs under the sushi mat, lift and roll until complete.
9. Using a very sharp knife that has been moistened with a bit of water slice your natto sushi roll into six even pieces.
10. Place on an attractive serving plate with a few slices of pickeled ginger.

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