Description
A traditional fermented soybean food passed down since ancient times by the Limbu and Kirat peoples in Eastern Nepal (Ilam district etc.). Production, look, and smell are completely identical to JP 'Natto' (fermented by Bacillus subtilis relatives). Features intense ammonia odor and stringy stickiness. Not poured raw over rice; fried with tomatoes/onions into a curry (soup).
Restaurants serving Kinema
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Kinema(Fermented soy/Natto)
- Tomato
- Onion
- Green Chili
- Turmeric
- Mustard oil
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Kinema Prod]: Lightly mash boiled soybeans in a mortar, wrap in fern/banana leaves, and ferment near warm ash (over hearth) for 2-
- days. Done when stringy and intensely smelly. Sun-dry to preserve.
- [Kinema Curry]: Fry onion, tomato, green chili in a pan, add Kinema and sauté. Pour water, season with turmeric/salt, making a sticky soup.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Turmeric、Green Chili、(Fermented odor of Kinema itself)
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Fry JP 'Hikiwari Natto' with tomato, onion, curry powder, and add a little water
Pairing
Rice (Bhat) / Dhido(Buckwheat mash)
Trivia
A dish that always stuns JP food culture researchers: 'Natto existed deep in the Himalayas!'. A historically crucial food unravelling the mystery of the 'Natto Route' (lucidophyllous forest culture) stretching from SE Asia across the Himalayas to Japan.
Eating tips & etiquette
Pour the unique strong-smelling, thickened brown soup generously over white rice (Bhat) and mix thoroughly by hand before eating. A block of umami (glutamic acid).
Allergen
Soy