Frugal Friday

[ecosophia]

Welcome back to Frugal Friday!  This is a weekly forum post to encourage people to share tips on saving money, especially but not only by doing stuff yourself. A new post will be going up every Friday, and will remain active until the next one goes up. Contributions will be moderated, of course, and I have some simple rules to offer, which have changed as we've proceeded. (As things have settled down to a nice steady conversational pace, for example, I've deleted the rules about only one tip per person per week and about limiting the length of comments; I was worried early on about people flooding the forum with too much too fast, but I think we're past that risk.)

Rule #1:  this is a place for polite, friendly conversations about how to save money in difficult times. It's not a place to post news, views, rants, or emotional outbursts about the reasons why the times are difficult and saving money is necessary. Nor is it a place to use a money saving tip to smuggle in news, views, etc.  I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #2:  this is not a place for you to sell goods or services, period. Here again, I have a delete button and I'm not afraid to use it.

Rule #3:  please give your tip a heading that explains briefly what it's about.  Homemade Chicken Soup, Garden Containers, Cheap Attic Insulation, and Vinegar Cleans Windows are good examples of headings. That way people can find the things that are relevant for them. If you don't put a heading on your tip it will be deleted.

Rule #4: don't post anything that would amount to advocating criminal activity. Any such suggestions will not be put through.

With that said, have at it!

Comments

You Eat Natto?!?!

[(Anonymous)]

Wow. You’re one of the few whites I’ve ever encountered who can get past the appearance and the smell. I can’t get past either one. I’m impressed.

—Princess Cutekitten

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

Over on the open post on Covid, you'll find a fair number of non-Asian people who eat natto -- it contains an enzyme, nattokinase, that prevents unhealthy blood clots from forming. It's become quite popular in certain circles. Me, I learned to enjoy it a long time ago. Sara couldn't stand the smell, but to me it's no worse than some of the stinkier cheeses and the appearance goes away in a hurry when you add furikake and stir it into hot rice.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[(Anonymous)]

With regards to the hot rice part, temperatures over 40 degrees C will permanently denature the enzyme, fyi.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

Somehow the Japanese have been stirring natto into hot rice for centuries and doing just fine.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[(Anonymous)]

Doesn't affect the food value, but not if you're after the nattokinase.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

Population studies have shown that the Japanese tend to have the benefits associated with nattokinase intake, despite their habits of serving natto on freshly cooked rice. When scientific studies claim one thing and the experience of actual people in the real world says something else, I trust the latter.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[michele7]

A quick google search found nattokinase to be heat stable to 60 degrees C. And the fermentation process that turns soybeans into natto is around 40 degrees C. I don't think it's a problem.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

Thanks for this.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[michele7]

I have to admit I was a bit perplexed with the OP's query. Why should it be surprising when non-Asians enjoy traditional foods? As a White (European background) American older woman I make and eat natto and kimchi. I also occasionally make konnyaku (devils root jelly) and sweet bean (anko) filled mochi. My Mexican American son-in-law loves my cucumber kimchi and anko mochi. While some foods may "culturally" seem strange to some, I don't think the color of our skin or nationality determines what we may like to eat.

JMG, perhaps we need to start a natto/kimchi club? ;-)

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

I understand Her Kittenship's shock. Just as many people in East Asian societies find cheese repulsive, most gaijin find natto loathsome in taste and texture at first try. These days, that's starting to become less of an issue, since a lot of people in the nonvaxed scene know about nattokinase's benefits as a blood purifier, and there's been a steady trickle of people taking the plunge from nattokinase in capsule form to natto itself. (Natto's reputation as, ahem, an enhancer of certain masculine functions probably doesn't hurt its popularity any.) Give it another few decades and eating natto may be common here in Gringostan, but for the time being -- well, let's just say that when I read your comment my first response was something on the order of, "Oh, good! Someone else who likes natto!"

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[kayr]

I have been taking nattokinase in a dry form in capsules for over a year now to help prevent blood clots and to lower blood pressure. Seems to work very well. I have never tried it in the fresh form. Could be a challenge.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

It can be. I've found that stirring it together with katsuobushi, Japanese shredded dried fish, gets rid of the texture issues.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[kayr]

I read the natto thread on the COVID post, so I think I might give this a try in the near future. I have a lovely fold up proofing box that I have been using to make yogurt for some years now and it would be able to hold the temperature just fine for natto and some stainless steel bowls that would work for the fermenting vessel.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

I've read of other people who use proofing boxes for natto fermentation, so it ought to work well. Just remember to cover the natto with foil or plastic wrap with holes poked in it -- the bacteria like a little oxygen, but not too much, and they like to stay very moist.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[(Anonymous)]

I use a rubber seed starter mat. With a few bits of cardboard under the pan corners, and covered in a dish towel for insulation, it gives a perfect temp of around 105 degrees F. In winter, I sometimes toss a little foam cooler loosely over the top to keep it warmer.

*Ochre Harebrained Curmudgeon*

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[(Anonymous)]

I’ll be darned. I’ll have to be brave and give it a try.

—Princess Cutekitten

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[michele7]

Go for it! If you like mayonnaise, try adding some to the natto. The fat in the mayo seems to cut the sliminess and add an appealing flavor. This suggestion came from a Japanese student of mine and it helped me become a natto eater. I also add a drizzle of soy sauce. You don't have to eat a lot to get the health benefits, 40-50 grams in a serving is the sweet spot.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[p_coyle]

i read about it on the covid forum, and after a somewhat tedious search, found a japanese market where i could purchase it. i expected it to be an unpleasant experience, one of those "acquired taste" type of things, but it turned out i kind of liked it right off the bat. and i just let it thaw in the fridge overnight and eat it plain in the morning. stirring it 40 to 400! times with the chopsticks enhances the sliminess. and supposedly, the benefits. ymmv...

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

Will it shock you further if I mention that I also make my own kimchi?

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[kayr]

Would you mind posting the a to the kimchi recipe you posted earlier? I thought I had printed it out, but now I can't find it.
Thanks.

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

Here you are:

https://ecosophia.dreamwidth.org/254241.html?thread=44729377#cmt44729377

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[michele7]

Not JMG, but I can recommend any of the kimchi recipes from Maangchi's website. Her cucumber kimchi is being made weekly at our house while we are getting garden cucumbers. It makes a delicious side salad with summer meals. Here's the link to her kimchi recipes. Also feel free to sub in veggies. If I don't have carrots, I sub in bell peppers. Also adjust the red pepper flakes to your liking. Her recipes are definitely geared to spicier palates.

https://www.maangchi.com/recipes/kimchi

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[(Anonymous)]

Nope. Have an aunt from Korea. Also kimchi is nowhere near as disgusting as natto. My only problem with Korean food is that when they say spicy, they mean SPICY!!!!!!!!

Princess Cutekitten

Re: You Eat Natto?!?!

[ecosophia]

Oh, I know. Mild Korean ramen is as hot as I can take it, and I use about a quarter as much gochugaru in my kimchi as the recipe calls for.

You might see if you Korean aunt can point you to some cheonggukjang, which is the Korean equivalent of natto. I haven't tried it yet but it's supposed to be pasty rather than slimy.