Nori

Ramen toppings are unlike any other meal topping out there, in that they’re equally as good on their own as a snack, as they are in a bowl of ramen. Nori is no different and when we’re not topping off bowls of delicious immi ramen with nori, we’re often chewing on that tasty seaweed snack. 

We love this crispy, savory sheets so much that we decided to bring you the full story of how this topping came to be, which ramen flavors it pairs well with, as well as how to prepare it on your own. 

What is nori?

 While it may be popularly referred to as a seaweed, it’s technically a kind of red algae that’s native to east Asia where it’s a very abundant crop. In fact, it’s produced in several different regions, not just Japan. Japanese nori is the most famous though and that’s the version we know and love. 

Taste-wise, you wouldn’t be wrong if you said it tastes “like the sea”. This is because it does have that mostly salty but slightly sweet taste that’s a trademark of seafood. Depending on where it’s manufactured and the brand, it can either be intensely salty or have a balanced salty and savory flavor. 

History of the topping

The history of this delicious seaweed snack stretches as far back as the year 702, when it was first found to be mentioned in taxation laws (the Taiho Code). A number of local reports to the governing body mention how people were drying and consuming a form of nori in the Izumo and Hitachi provinces in the late 8th century. 

It wasn’t until the Edo period in 1603 onwards that nori was produced in a form similar to the thin sheets we know today. The Asakusa region saw the first mainstream production of thin nori sheets. 

Interestingly enough, nori was originally used as a generic term for many different kinds of marine plants and produce. However, later on when new and improved food processing technologies were created, most distinct species got their own name and consumption techniques. 

Why nori pairs well with ramen?

To understand why nori is so versatile and how it goes together with just about every ramen flavor out there, we have to look at what makes nori great as a food itself. 

The answer lies in its unique mix of taste, shape, and texture, as well as its ability to transform once it lies in a hot bowl with noodles and delicious broth. 

Nori is made with a plant that naturally grows in salty water. This means that it already has an affinity for being dipped in saline solutions, such as ramen broth. This means that it retains its natural flavor when eaten with ramen and doesn’t take on the sweeter, tangier tare flavors that some ramen types have. 

Because different ramen shops around the world have slightly different ways of presenting the ramen, you’ll find nori added in several ways, all of which provide a different mouthfeel.

For example, some places serve nori with sesame seeds 

One thing we often ignore when talking about what makes a topping great is the visual element. Nori is one of those toppings that just looks good when laid out in a bowl. The sharp contrast with the caramel or light brown of ramen broth, the off-white of noodles, pink of pickled ginger, and orange of ajitama yolk present an awesome visual medley to complement the flavors. 

Then there’s the fact that sometimes nori is cut into thin strips that are not much broader than noodle strands. This makes it easier to eat with noodle dishes since the strips, once hydrated, are easier to intermingle with noodles. 

In our opinion, delicious immi ramen is a staple vessel dish for adding nori to!

Here’s each ramen flavor and some tips on how to make them work well with nori:

• Black Garlic ‘Chicken’ flavored immi ramen has that trademark nutty, savory garlic tinge that tastes great with a sudden burst of salty flavor in the bite. We’d suggest using nori flakes and sprinkling them into the still cooking ramen around 10 seconds before taking it off the stove. 
• Spicy ‘Beef’ flavored immi ramen has a more well-rounded savoriness which benefits from whole sheets of nori used in the traditional manner on top of the noodles. You can upgrade that by either sprinkling some furikake or togarashi (depending on whether you want more umami or spice) on top of the sheets right before serving. 
• Tom Yum ‘Shrimp’ flavored immi ramen really benefits from nori when there’s a tangy accompaniment to it, such as a few drops of lime juice or some umeboshi. The salty seaweed helps round off the already deep seafoody flavor while adding some delicious texture. You can even add the nori halfway through cooking to saturate some of its flavor in the broth. 

Aside from that, nori goes really great with the classic ramen flavors as well. 

In fact, it’s one of the premier toppings in many Japanese ramen shops. Plus, chances are you’ll find nori in places that don’t have a very diverse range of toppings, it’s that popular. The way it compliments ramen tare has a lot to do with it. 

Konbu is a major ingredient in a lot of ramen broths. This is because it has a lot of flavor and essential oils to impart when steeped and boiled in water. Nori is the same way, only it releases its flavor a lot faster (that’s mostly due to the way it’s processed). 

That’s why it tastes great with shoyu ramen, since that flavor has a konbu and soy sauce base, both of which are rich in umami. 

Print