--- is a series dedicated to a sense of ease in the kitchen and just as the label reads, using it up. BYO enthusiasm and an ingredient and I’ll BYO a recipe or five in return. #TheCookUpSBS Tune in weeknights to our favourite dinner time companion, 7.00 pm weeknights on SBS Food (Ch.33) and watch all the episodes now and for free at . ---
Thin dried sheets of pressed seaweed have been on a roll for some time, but there are many snacking avenues that your packet can take outside of the beloved .
If you can toast your nori, then these recipes will be all the better for it - crisp and nutty. Simply spray each side with a neutral oil (grapeseed, canola, peanut, sunflower, rice bran or vegetable, are a few examples to get you started) and place it on a lined baking tray and cook for 2-3 mins at 160°C, or until crisp.
Now that we've got the crisp in the first bite, let's move into melt-in-your-mouth territory with a few easy recipes that call on nori for flavour and texture. Be back after these five...
Source: SBS Food
Nori seasoning
In a 300 g jar, combine the below ingredients and pop the lid on and give it a shake:
- 4 nori sheets, toasted and crushed
- 4 tbsp bonito flakes
- 2 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black sesame seeds, crushed
Perfect for tossing over your roast potatoes with a little butter; over your next grilled fish or battered potato scallop; or simply any time you want to add a little seasoning and crunch to your bakes or on your steamed rice with a fried egg and extra soy.
In a pot over medium-high heat:
- 2-3 tbsp sesame oil
Pop:
- ¼ cup popcorn kernels
In a bowl combine:
- 4 nori sheets, toasted and crushed
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- Salt, to taste
- Popcorn popped in sesame oil
Throw a movie on and never look back.
Nori and sesame popcorn. Source: The Cook Up with Adam Liaw
Nori dip
In a food processor, pulse:
- 4 nori sheets, toasted
Add:
- 1 cup Japanese mayo
- 3 tbsp Sriracha
- ½ avocado
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Pepper, to taste
Perfect for your next chip dip, tossed through your next potato salad or on your next egg salad sandwich, I promise!
Pasta carbo-nori
This is my take on a quick and meat-free carbonara, where the egg and cheese reign supreme and white miso and toasted nori raise the umami. I often lean into spaghetti, rigatoni, farfalle or my current favourite, conchiglie (shells) here. Make sure whichever pasta takes your fancy, it's cooked al dente and keep 2-3 tbsp of pasta water after you finish cooking to loosen up the cheese and egg.
In a bowl, whisk:
- 4 egg yolks
- 200 g parmesan or pecorino, grated
- A pinch of salt and pepper
Set aside. In a frying pan, heat:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp white miso paste
Add:
- 350 g pasta, cooked and strained
Off the heat, add the cheese and egg mixture quickly stirring through the pasta to avoid over-cooking the eggs. Add a couple of tablespoons of pasta cooking water to prevent it from drying.
Serve immediately with some extra parmesan or pecorino, shredded nori sheets and a pinch of white sesame seeds.
Pasta, miso, nori and cheese. Oooh yeah! Source: Farah Celjo
Korean seaweed chips (gim-bugak)
These glutinous rice flour-coated seaweed snacks were an absolute revelation. I first tasted them circa 2009 in Shibuya, Japan from a Korean stall owner and any time I have nori sheets these aren't too far behind.
In a small pan over low heat, combine:
- ¾ cup water
- 50 g glutinous rice flour and a pinch of salt
Cook for a few minutes, until it starts to thicken and then aside to cool. This batter will be very sticky once it has cooled, so definitely use a little bowl of water to be able to easily handle the nori and rice batter layers.
Take two packets of nori (20 sheets) and evenly cut each one in half.
Take one half, gently spread on a little rice mixture with the back of a spoon and then sandwich the other half on top firmly pressing in the filling. Repeat with a little more batter on top and sprinkle black or white sesame seeds here (optional). Repeat until you've used the sheets and be sure to keep a tablespoon of the batter handy to check the oil temp when ready for frying.
Place on a tray and let it dry overnight.
In a medium saucepan, shallow or deep fry using a neutral frying oil. Heat to (180°C if you're using a thermometer), or until a little of that leftover batter crisps up the instantly.
Using tongs, add the seaweed chips one by one until it bubbles and crisps and then turn it over.
Place in a bowl lined with paper towel and season with salt, white pepper or some of the nori seasoning (above) for a double nori whammy and get snacking.
These are also great make-ahead snacks that you can freeze once they've been dried overnight and are easily fried when required.
