Nori is one of the most recognizable Japanese foods in the world. Many people first encounter it as the dark sheet wrapped around sushi rolls. Its thin, paper-like appearance can seem unusual, and it is easy to think of it simply as an edible wrapper. In Japan, however, nori is much more familiar and much more ordinary than that. It appears around onigiri, beside rice at breakfast, inside bento boxes, over noodles, and in ochazuke. It can be crisp and freshly opened, or soft after absorbing moisture from warm rice. It may be served as a full ...
