You probably know nori best as the paper-like dark green wrapping that keeps pieces of sushi neatly -- and deliciously! -- contained. Crisp sheets of this mild grassy-tasting seaweed last forever in the pantry and can come in handy when you just need "a little something extra" to perk up a weeknight meal.
Nori is made by shredding edible seaweed and then pressing it into thin sheets -- much like the process for making paper. You can find packages of it at any Asian grocery store, Whole Foods, and more and more frequently these days, regular grocery stores. Nori that is sold as "plain" or "toasted" is the most versatile sort for our cooking purposes.
Packaged in an airtight container or zip-top bags, nori will keep for quite some time in the pantry. If they start to lose their crispness, you can re-toast them (carefully!) over the flame on a gas stove.
Once you've gotten your hands on some nori, here are our favorite ways to use nori in the kitchen:
- Homemade Sushi: Yes! Go for it! Sushi is actually very easy to make at home, as this guide showing How to Make Maki Sushi will show you. Korean gimbap is great for a non-fishy version. And if you're not up for all the rolling, making hand rolls is an even easier way to get your sushi fix.
- Crispy Nori Snacks: Crisp those sheets of nori a little more, and by golly, you have yourself some nori chips! We like to lacquer a few sheets of nori together for a sturdier crisp, as with these Wasabi-Toasted Nori Crisps.
- Furikake Seasoning: This blend of nori and sesame seeds makes a simple rice dish taste like it came straight from a restaurant kitchen. It's easy to make yourself at home.
- Soup and Rice Bowl Topper: Add a little extra crunch to your next bowl of soup or rice. Slice nori into thin ribbons and sprinkle away. Also try using it over omelets, baked fish, salads, steamed vegetables, and anywhere where you might like nori's crisp texture.
What other ways do you like to use nori?
Related: The Essential Sushi Guide
(Image: jreika/Shutterstock)
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Interesting! I've also been wanting to make this lazy sushi bowl recipe, which calls for nori sheets:
http://recipesfromnewlyweds.blogspot.com/2012/10/lazy-sushi-bowl.html
I grew up eating nori and i'm so glad it's gotten much more popular nowadays!
The plain kind is good for sushi/kimbap, and the toasted kind - brushed in sesame oil, toasted, then salted - is perfect for eating as a snack or with a little bit of rice. I don't think you can use the toasted kind for sushi because it will rip.
We love sushi bowls at our house. My daughters (ages 6 & 5) call them mermaid snacks. They love to eat them plain like chips.
My Korean roommate in college used to pull out a pot of cold rice she had sitting in the fridge overnight, sit on the couch, and pinch bunches of the rice with a sheet of nori and eat that for breakfast every morning. I'll be honest, it kind of grossed me out. She was a little obsessed with that little pot. I gave her a piece of pizza once and she stuck it in that pot overnight then tried to reheat it, in the pot, on the stove, in the morning for breakfast. Got to love being exposed to other cultures! Since then I have learned to love nori, and mostly like it as a savory dinner item though.
We keep the roasted and salted nori and the sushi nori around all the time because my 5 year old basically can't get enough of the stuff. He eats both kinds for snacks and I make him "sushi" all the time just by moistening a sheet of sushi nori and rolling it up with slices of tofu and veggies, not even any rice. Oh yeah, and we make "nori shake," ground up nori with salt and sesame seeds, which he dips veggies into. So, yeah, it's a big staple around here.
Nori wraps! Some people call them nori burritos. They're really just handrolls with whatever you want to put in them, but they're great for quick lunches and on-the-go sandwiches. I eat them at least once during the work week for lunch if not more. My favorite filling is avocado, daikon, lettuce, sesame seeds and some kind of spread (usually tamari+tahini). Yes, you MUST stock your pantry with nori
I have had some go limp & didn't know you can retoast it. Instead, I snip it with scissors and drop into soup. Adds a really nice flavor.
Musubi!
I add them, finely chopped, into stews etc for that extra umami flavour, they work a treat. (Thanks for that tip Heston blumenthal)
I also keep mine in the freezer to keep it crisp! My mom taught me that. =)
I would keep nori in my pantry, but it always ends up going directly in my mouf. Mmm.