Savory Salt Natto Rice

Prepare natto that comes with a regular soy sauce-based sauce. Avoid unusual flavors such as Korean seaweed or plum shiso, so you can taste natto's natural umami.

Measure out one pinch of shio kombu, about 4g. Grabbing a large handful comes to about 10g and makes it too salty, so measure it carefully.

Prepare between 150g and 200g of rice (180g this time). Regular table salt works, but mineral-rich rock salt or seaweed salt is recommended for its mellow flavor and strong umami.

Serve the warm rice in a bowl and crack in the egg.

Add the shio kombu to the rice with the egg.

Mix thoroughly with a whipping motion until the rice turns yellow all over. Think of it as making shio kombu egg rice.

Once the rice has turned yellow all over and the rice, shio kombu, and egg are well combined, it is ready.

Open the lid of the natto pack, add the included sauce and mustard to taste, and stir about 100 times.

Once the natto has been stirred about 100 times and turned sticky, spoon it over the egg rice.

Drizzle sesame oil over the natto for aroma.

Sprinkle just a little salt on top to bring out natto's natural flavor and umami.

When eating, do not stir it all together — eat it as is, mixing as little as possible. Mixing dissolves the salt into the rice and prevents natto's natural umami and sweetness from coming through.