So, you’ve basically just gotten into all that sushi thing and you’re totally wondering what that dark green, even sort of blackish cloak around your tasty rice and fish is? Well, our sushi loving friends this wrap is nothing but a good old seaweed. A very common ingredient that makes your sushi experience just perfect and very healthy.
Let’s learn more about the seaweed that makes you go – yummmy! Yes, it’s really possible.
Seaweed makes it all happen
Did you know that there are over 10 thousand seaweed species discovered in the world? The most common ones you’ve probably heard of are spirulina, kelp, nori or perhaps dulse or arame. But which ones are used when a healthy and delicious sushi is being prepared?
Let’s just say that Japanese cuisine is completely in love with seaweed. More so, statistics claim that over 10% of the diet in Japan accounts for seaweed. And it must be working it’s magic Japanese people are well know for traditionally having a pretty high life expectancy. So why not live long and eat well in between!
Among the most common dishes that seaweed is used for is of course sushi. Most types of sushi cannot not be complete without a seaweed wrap. Let go down the sushi road again and find out what seaweed is used for sushi then?
Basically when we prepare sushi we go for that salty flavoured, flat and dried sheet of seaweed with a crunchy texture called – nori. Nori is very common in Japan and famous for it’s intense taste with a strong character which just can’t leave you even hearted. In other words you will love it. Nori is that famous and well known type of seaweed used for sushi rolls wrapping. Of course, for even more distinguished taste you can always dip your nori into soy sauce.
Even famous onigiri, Japanese rice bowls use nori to reach perfection. Before serving on a plate nori is also often toasted. If this is the way you prefer it, then you ought to know that one of the most popular secondary nori products is toasted flavoured nori, referred to as – ajitsuke-nori. Flavoured nori is made by applying a flavoured mixture and toasting the nori.
It is important to know that nori can also be eaten as a part of sushi rolls (having the role of a wrap) or it can be made into a flavoured paste you will adore, or it can simply have a decorative role.
What’s totally crazy is the fact that even though you depict nori as something that goes around the rolls and wraps it from the outside, it can also be found inside the sushi roll. This inside-out technique is called uramaki sushi and our Fukuro staff can’t wait to prepare it for you.
Tasty and healthy
Nori will make your sushi tastier and more enjoyable but it also has much needed nutrients such as vitamins and minerals your whole body needs to meet its everyday challenges. Nori contains very high levels of Vitamin A, B, C, D, and E. It is also a good source of Vitamin K, niacin, and folic acid and guess what – it can have 10 times more calcium the milk has. Sou if you’re after those strong bones you know what you have to eat!
It is proved to help you with weight loss, it is amazing for your thyroid function, acts anti inflammatory, help people suffering from diabetes, and we also heard it’s great for you brain. So, it must be smart to eat it!
Nori is also practical because it holds your sushi roll pretty tightly and thus prevents falling apart when you try to eat your sushi and you’re still a chopstick rookie.
Such as rice or fish, nori also has to be fresh and of a top quality if you want to enjoy the best sushi. Some of the indicators of a good nori are certainly its colour, shine, consistency and thickness. It should be dark coloured, close to black with a shiny surface and also thick, compact and not easily torn. This usually means your nori is really as it should be.
That’s why Fukuro team believes only a top quality seaweed deserves a place around or inside your sushi rolls! Check it out!
