Round nori savoury bites (x24)

Nori is an edible red seaweed that grows on rocks in shallow waters. In the wild, nori seaweed is red with folded blades that can be red, pink, brown or dark green. As we know it, nori is made from a species of red seaweed in the porphyra yezoensis genus.

Cultivated nori is produced in large quantities in southern Japan, on the western side of Kyushu island. Seaweed farms are located along the coast. They take the form of net plantations just below water surface. Nets are seeded with pyropia.

Seaweed grows rapidly from the seed: fresh nori is ready to harvest after around 45 days. Harvesting is carried out by boat or by machine, harvesting the top layers of nori, then putting nets back in place. By harvesting only the top layer, there will be more fresh nori to harvest 10 days later. Once harvested, nori is cut, depulped and water removed by pressing, while nori is smoothed into fine sheets.

Leaves are then dried on a grid for hours or days, depending on their thickness and ambient temperature. Here again, modern technology has streamlined process, and today nori sheets can be dried in a matter of minutes. Once harvested, nori seaweed is dried into sheets, which take on a black or brown appearance.