English: soybean, soya bean

Spanish: soya

Tagalog: balatong

The literal meaning of the kanji of daizu 大豆 is “large bean.” Dai 大(だい) is large and zu 豆(ず) is bean.

Then, what are small beans? Small is 小(しょう). So small bean is 小豆(あずき) and this is called azuki あずき.

However, the actual sizes of the two have little difference. It’s not clear why 大(だい) ‘large’ and 小(しょう) ‘small’ are related, but the words have been already in use since Nara Period (710-794 A.D.).

Daizu 大豆(だいず) and azuki 小豆(あずき) play significant roles in the dietary life of the Japanese people.

In particular, daizu 大豆(だいず) is essential for the Japanese eating habits. The Japanese might not spend a day without daizu 大豆(だいず). Azuki 小豆(あずき) is mostly cooked for sweets.

1. Daizu-no ni-mame 大豆(だいず)の煮豆(にまめ)―boiled soybean

Daizu 大豆(だいず) itself is cooked, boiled, and eaten―usually boiled in dashi-water 出汁(だし), which has flavors of kombu 昆布(こんぶ) (kelp) or katsuo-bushi 鰹節(かつおぶし) (shaved dry bonito), etc.

It is usually cooked with kombu 昆布(こんぶ), ninjin 人参(にんじん) (carrot), shiitake mushroom 椎茸(しいたけ), or renkon 蓮根(れんこん)(lotus root), konnyaku こんにゃく, etc. It’s also popular as school lunch.

Daizu 大豆(だいず) is processed and changes its appearance to the following foods:

2. Sarada yu サラダ油(さらだゆ)―salad oil

3. Toohu 豆腐(とうふ)―soybean curd

4. Miso 味噌(みそ)―soybean bagoong, fermented soybean paste

5. Natto 納豆(なっとう)―fermented soybean

6. Shooyu 醤油(しょうゆ)―soy sauce

7. Moyashi もやし―bean sprout/taugi/toge

8. Tonyu 豆乳(とうにゅう)―soybean milk

9. Edamame 枝豆(えだまめ)―green soybean

10. Kinako きな粉(こ)―soybean flour

Do you have anything which you like? The most ‘shocking’ food may be natto 納豆(なっとう).

Do you know natto 納豆(なっとう)?

Natto 納豆(なっとう) is a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans―soybean and natto bacteria.

It is usually served with shooyu 醤油(しょうゆ), karashi からし (mustard), and naganegi 長ネギ(ながねぎ)(Japanese bunching onion).

Some like to eat it as a breakfast food―pouring it on white rice; others anytime―at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or over drinking.

And the rest NEVER!

Natto 納豆(なっとう) may be an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and sticky, slimy texture.

In Japan, natto is most popular in the eastern regions, including Kanto, Tohoku, and Hokkaido.

Hakko-shokuhin 発酵(はっこう)食品(しょくひん)―Fermented food has been eaten in Japan since long ago.

Miso 味噌(みそ) is one of the most popular fermented foods.

It’s is used as flavor for foods such as miso-shiru 味噌汁(みそしる), miso-ramen 味噌(みそ)ラーメン, various nabe-ryori 鍋(なべ)料理(りょうり), dipping sauce, etc.

ｱ. upper left: Miso-ramen 味噌 (みそ) ラーメン

ｲ. upper middle: Shijimi-no miso-shiru しじみの味噌汁 (みそしる). Shijimi しじみ is small clams (2-3 cm) which can be caught in Japanese lakes and rivers. It's super in miso-shiru 味噌汁 (みそしる), especially for your lever.

ｳ. upper right: Ishikari-nabe 石狩鍋 (いしかりなべ) has sake 鮭 (さけ) salmon inside, and miso aji 味噌味 (みそあじ), tastes of miso. It's a local food of Ishikari 石狩 (いしかり), in Hokkaido 北海道 (ほっかいどう) Prefecture.

ｴ. lower left: Miso-katsu 味噌 (みそ) カツ: It's a kind of tonkatsu とんかつ which has miso-based sauce on it. It's popular in Nagoya 名古屋 (なごや).

ｵ. lower middle: Yakitori やきとり (chicken bbq), kyuuri きゅうり (cucumber), and miso. One more beer, please!

ｶ. lower right: Saba-no miso-ni さばの味噌煮 (みそに). Boiled mackerel, miso-based sauce. You'll need nothing else.

Some Americans are crazy about edamame 枝豆(えだまめ).

It’s popular in the US as well.

Boil the edamame 枝豆(えだまめ), pour shio 塩(しお) (salt), then eat it!

However, we could say most people―including the Japanese―don’t know the REAL taste of edamame 枝豆(えだまめ).

Pick them up from the field, boil them, eat them within the day. You’ll know the difference.

Moyashi もやし is another super food.

It’s cheap and nutritious. Just fry them for a minute, eat them with seasonings as you like.

Although daizu 大豆(だいず) is a Japanese traditional food, the self-sufficiency rate is only 7%. Most of them are imported from the US, Brazil, Canada, etc.