Okra Natto combines two ingredients we love...okra and natto! Heheh. This is a refreshing side dish that's served slightly warm. We top it with lots of green onions. Simple, flavorful, and very good for you. Eat with rice and enjoy.
Okra, natto, and green onions! It's such a simple combo. And yet, it's the simple stuff that is often the tastiest.
This is a very flexible recipe. You can use more or less of any of the ingredients as long as you have the three main components.
Layer boiled and slice okra, natto, and green onions nicely in a bowl. That's how you serve/present the dish. Then right before you eat it, use chopsticks to mix everything up.
So many textures going on here, wonderfully silky and slimy at the same time. The green onions give some crunch and bite to round things out. Serve this with a bowl of hot rice. It makes for a great solo lunch or dinner. And you'll feel so good and healthy after eating it!
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Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
- Natto - Use one container per serving.
- Okra - Use more pieces if your okra is small. Use fewer if you have large okra pieces.
- Green onion - Feel free to use more or less.
See recipe card for quantities. Though one important thing to note is that the ratios are super flexible. If you like more or less of one ingredient, then just use more or less. Super natto lovers might want to use two containers of natto. Go nuts and eat well!
Instructions
Let's get cooking:
Prepare the natto.
Open the package of natto. Remove the seasoning packets. There are usually two seasoning packets inside: one is soy sauce-based and another is hot mustard.
Slide the plastic layer/cover off the natto and discard.
Open the seasoning packet(s) and add it to the natto. Use chopsticks to mix/whip the natto with the seasonings.
Mix it really well with chopsticks until the natto looks almost airy and frothy. Aim for 100 mixes! Even better if you can do more. Set aside.
Note: If your natto doesn't come with any seasoning packets, then use a teaspoon of soy sauce as a substitute.
Next, prepare the okra.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the okra and blanch for 2-3 minutes (until it's just cooked, but still a vibrant green color).
Drain and let cool slightly. Slice the okra into ½-inch wide pieces.
Combine.
Place the okra in a bowl. Top with the mixed natto.
Add green onions.
Then top with the green onions. It's ready!
Mix and eat.
Mix everything together at the table right before eating. Enjoy ^_^
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few ideas we like:
- Soy Sauce - I tend to like this dish on the plainer side (and the natto already has plenty of taste), but for more flavor you can add a teaspoon or two of soy sauce.
- Bacon - This is a healthy side dish, but you can add a bit of decadence with hot bacon. Pan fry bacon until crisp and cut into small pieces. Mix with everything else and eat!
- Noodles - Turn this side dish into a complete meal by serving it on top of a bed of soba or somen noodles.
Enjoy ^_^
Storage
This dish doesn't reheat well so just make as much as you plan to eat.
Some people like to eat it cold (on a bowl of hot rice), but I like it best when it's freshly prepared and the okra is still a little warm.
Top Tip
Mix/whip the natto really well. The better you mix it, the tastier it will be. Aim to mix a minimum of 100 times. If you have extra time, you can go up to 400 times! Many believe that 400 is the tastiest natto mixing number.
FAQ
You're in the right place ^_^
- Natto Rice (A classic! Natto and rice, this is where it all begins).
- Natto Spaghetti (Tossed with natto, butter, and other pantry staples for a quick and easy pasta).
- Natto Egg Toast (Best of both worlds, natto and egg salad. Layered on toast!)
- Natto Toast with Cheese and Cabbage (Natto and cheese make a tasty combination).
Oh yes, we have! Try these:
- Boiled Okra (Simple and tasty! We call this "okra sashimi" because we dip it in soy sauce and serve it like you serve sashimi.)
- Okra and Ginger Soy Sauce (So good on a hot day. Hot okra tossed with soy sauce and grated ginger.)
- Okra And Bacon (Bacon really does make everything extra tasty, especially when it's pan fried with okra.)
When serving okra natto as a side dish, I love it with something either meaty and saucy or a good soup! Consider dishes like Rafute (Okinawan Shoyu Pork), Lotus Root Soup, or Chinese Pork Rib Soup. Always make sure to pair any and all of these dishes with a bowl of hot rice.
Okra Natto Recipe
Okra Natto
Ingredients
- 1 package natto about 50 grams
- 6-8 pieces okra
- 1 whole green onion finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the natto:Open the package of natto. Remove the seasoning packets (there are usually two - one is soy sauce-based and another is hot mustard). Slide the plastic layer/cover off the natto and discard. Open the seasoning packet(s) and add it to the natto.Use chopsticks to mix/whip the natto with the seasonings. Mix it really well until the natto looks almost airy and frothy. Aim for 100 mixes! Even better if you can do more. Set aside.
- Next, prepare the okra:Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the okra and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain and let cool. Slice the okra into ½-inch wide pieces.
- Place the okra in a bowl. Top with the mixed natto. Then top with the green onions. It's ready!
- Mix everything together at the table right before eating. Enjoy ^_^
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Love natto and becoming an Okra fan, Mahalo! I added shoyu and a few goma seeds, onolicious!
I used to stay away from Okra because I thought it was too slimy, it's now one of my fav veges, thanks to you.
Aloha Bonnie - That is awesome!! Makes me so happy to hear 🙂 Good idea with the shoyu and goma seeds. I love how easy both ingredients are to use and how they're so good for you!
- Kathy