How to Preserve the Crispiness of Nori Sheets

In Japanese supermarkets, the sushi bake trend has boosted sales of fresh fish, tobiko and masago, Japanese mayonnaise, sushi rice, and nori sheets. Although Asian markets have stocked up on sushi bake ingredients, they have been known to run out due to high demand.

Packs of seasoned nori sheets, which were previously only available in Korean supermarkets, were already flying off the shelves as a delectable snack. This trend, on the other hand, has created an even greater demand for those who want to not only snack on these seaweed sheets but also eat them with their homemade sushi bake trays.

If you bought more nori sheets than you could eat with your sushi bake, you should either eat the remaining nori sheets right away or save them for another day. If you do decide to store it, keep in mind that it requires a dry environment to stay crisp and delicious. Nori can absorb moisture, causing it to become soggy and appear to melt and stick together. That’s not something you want to eat!

It is best to store the seaweed in the refrigerator. If you have a hygroscopic silica gel pack or another sealed desiccant pack that came with the nori sheet bulk pack, put them in the pack as well to keep moisture away from the seaweed sheet. Open seaweed sheets are stored this way, while closed sheets can be stored at room temperature and away from heat.

When you’re ready to serve the sushi casserole, remove the seaweed from the fridge and notice that the sheet isn’t as crispy as you think. There is a simple fix. Lightly toast to give the best texture. This is what you do:

1. If possible, separate the nori sheets with care. (If not, leave it alone.)
2. Warm a frying pan over low heat.
3. Place a sheet of nori on the hot surface for a short time with tongs. (As it dries, it will begin to constrict slightly.)
4. Flip and toast for a few more seconds on the other side.
5. Turn off the heat.
   
   

After being toasted and allowed to cool, these should be perfectly crisp and delicious once more. Several of these sheets can also be toasted in an oven toaster. Just be careful not to overcook the sheets, as burnt seaweed is unpleasant to eat.

If you’re unlucky enough to be unable to locate your preferred brand of roasted seaweed sheets, you can make your own! You’ll still need to purchase seaweed sheets, but you can use the plain nori sheets commonly used in sushi making. These can be seasoned with salt or sesame seeds. This is what you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Arrange nori sheets on a baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Using a brush, lightly wet the surface of each sheet.
4. Season with rock salt and/or sesame seeds to taste.
5. Toast until crisp in the oven.
   
   

Don’t worry about getting your Nori Sheets as it can be easily bought from any of our locations in the international products aisle. Visit us today!