At the mention of Japanese food, what springs to mind will probably be fresh raw seafood or organic farm-to-table food, but a mainstay of Japanese cuisine is also fermented food.
Known in Japanese as Hakko shokuhin, fermented foods range from soy-based products to pickles, condiments and beverages.
Handing out a Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs special edition publication Nipponica, Consul General of Japan in Auckland, Shinji Matsui, says one of the secrets to good health for the Japanese is in eating ingredients like fermented beans and drinking kombucha.
This is because, besides being a form of food preservation, the fermentation process generates probiotics, which are beneficial to the health of the gut and stomach.
Here’s a look at some of the Japanese fermented foods that are served at Japanese restaurants across Auckland or available at Japanese supermarkets.
MISO SOUP
Miso soup is an essential part of Japanese cuisine. Miso is made by fermenting soybeans with a type of fungus called koji and salt. Miso is used as a type of seasoning in Japanese food and is usually found in paste form, and cooked in soup. People also use it as a salad dressing or marinade.
Miso soup improves blood circulation and warms the body, the Nipponica article says. Studies have also found that it lowers blood pressure and the risk of stroke. For health reasons, Japanese also prefer using miso as a seasoning compared to table salt.
WHERE TO GET THIS:
Japan Mart (Auckland CBD, Newmarket, Sylvia Park)
NATTO
This is another Japanese ingredient that is made with fermented soybean and is usually eaten combined with other condiments such as soy sauce and spring onion, although it can be eaten on its own.
Eliza Leung, co-owner of Gion Japanese Restaurant Parnell, said she loved having her natto with sashimi and soy sauce.
Natto has a strong flavour which some people have likened to rotten cheese and is an acquired taste. The fermented beans are slimy, and the texture can be quite hard to stomach.
But it is rich in antibodies and minerals such as zinc, selenium, manganese, and vitamin C. It also has microbiota that is great for the immune system and gut health.
WHERE TO GET THIS:
Japan Mart (Auckland CBD, Newmarket, Sylvia Park)
KOMBUCHA
This fermented tea is becoming trendy as people become more health-centric, and restaurants are seizing the opportunity to sell it as a cool beverage to have.
Kombucha is made from either green tea or black tea that’s been left to ferment with a symbiotic culture of yeast (scoby) and bacteria. At the start, it is just a sweet tea, but the process slowly changes its composition as a result of the acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria and yeast.
Then there’s a second fermentation where fruit flavours are used with the tea to make it tastier. Besides the many health benefits, kombucha is also said to be beneficial for the liver and urinary tract infections.
WHERE TO GET THIS:
You can easily find Remedy Kombucha on the display shelf across all major supermarkets in New Zealand.
One particular brand I highly recommend—but only for a limited time—is:
Daily Organics Kombucha – handcrafted in Matakana, this artisanal kombucha is widely available at Farro, Huckleberry, and specialty organic stores both online and offline.
Sadly, the company is closing by the end of May, so stock up while you still can.
