Natto Gyoza

• Take as much natto as you think is necessary. Natto is generally sold in small styrofoam containers, so a couple/three of them will usually do. Unless you feel like making more.
• A proportionate amount of onions, finely chopped.
• A suitable amount of garlic, also finely chopped.
• Some shiso (or fresh basil), finely chopped.
• A dash of soy sauce.
• A pack or two (you decide) of "gyoza-no-kawa", or gyoza pastry, which comes already cut in circles, and is readily available in supermarkets.

Method

• Mix everything up in a bowl. Get it looking like the kind of stuff you'd want to put in pastry, deep-fry, then eat. Adjust the proportions of the ingredients accordingly.
• Spoon a suitable amount of the mixture on to a gyoza-skin, the edge of which has been wetted with a finger dipped in the moistening agent of your choice, and lovingly enfold it around the mixture. Pinch the edges of the pastry as you go to seal the unit.
• Repeat as often as necessary, until all of the mixture is used.
• Deep fry the gyoza, or fry them in shallow oil and, when almost 'done', add enough water to get a good head of steam and finish cooking them that way. Don't forget to put a lid on the pan after you add the water to increase the efficacy of the steam.
• You'll know when they're done; they should be either a golden brown on the bottom and cooked through (if you use the water method) or a golden brown all over, if you deep fry them.
• To eat, dunk in soy sauce, to which has been added a little vinegar and chilli sauce.

Bon appetit!

This is the kind of recipe that you have to experiment with a couple of times until you get it right, according to your taste. Fool around with the mixture, and the spicing thereof, and you should come up with a delicious and novel way to eat your daily natto intake.