Envoy at 17:15, 16 October 2007

2007-10-16T17:15:55Z

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[[Image:Nori.jpg|thumb|300px|Nori]]

'''Nori''' ({{lang-ja|海苔}}), ({{zh-cp|海苔|hǎitāi}}, {{lang-ko|김}}, '''[[kim]]''' or '''gim'''), is the Japanese name for various edible [[seaweed]] [[species (biology)|species]] of the [[red alga]] ''[[Porphyra]]'' including most notably ''P. yezoensis'' and ''P. tenera''. The term ''nori'' is also commonly used to refer to the food products created from these so-called "sea [[vegetable]]s". Finished products are made by a shredding and [[rack-drying]] process that resembles [[papermaking]]. Japan, Korea, and China are the current major producers of nori, with total production valued at up to US $2 billion per year.

==History==
Originally, the term nori was more generic and referred to various kinds of seaweeds including [[Hijiki]]. One of the oldest descriptions about nori is dated back around 8th century. In the [[Taihō Code]] ({{lang|ja|大宝律令}}) enacted in 701, nori was already included in the form of taxation. In ''Utsubo Story'' ({{lang|ja|宇津保物語}}) written around 987, nori was recognized as a common food. The original nori was formed as a paste, and the nori sheet was invented in [[Asakusa]], [[Edo]] (contemporary Tokyo) in [[Edo period]] by the method of [[Washi|Japanese papers]]. The word ''nori'' in Japanese has the same pronunciation as ''nori'' ({{lang|ja|糊}}, glue,) and it is presumed that these plants were also used to glue objects.

==Production==
Production and processing of nori by current methods is a highly advanced form of agriculture. The biology of ''Porphyra'', although complicated, is well understood and this knowledge is used to control virtually every step of the production process. Farming takes place in the sea where the ''Porphyra'' plants grow attached to nets suspended at the sea surface and where the farmers operate from boats. The plants grow rapidly, requiring about 45 days from "seeding" until the first harvest. Multiple harvests can be taken from a single seeding, typically at about 10 day intervals. Harvesting is accomplished using mechanical harvesters of a variety of configurations. Processing of raw product is mostly accomplished by highly automated machines that accurately duplicate traditional manual processing steps, but with much improved efficiency and consistency. The final product is a paper thin, dark, black, dried sheet of approximately 18 X 20 cm and 3 grams in weight.

Nori is commonly used as a wrap for [[sushi]] and [[onigiri]]. It is also a common garnish or flavoring in noodle preparations and soups. Nori is most typically toasted prior to consumption ("yaki-nori" in Japanese). A very common and popular secondary product is toasted and flavored nori ("ajitsuke-nori" in Japanese), in which a flavoring mixture (variable, but typically soy sauce, spices and sugar in the Japanese style or sesame oil and salt in the Korean style) is applied in combination with the toasting process. Nori is also eaten by making it into a soy sauce flavored paste ''noritsukudani'' ({{lang|ja|海苔佃煮}}).
In Japan over 600 square kilometres (230 sq mi) of Japanese coastal waters are given to producing 350,000 tonnes (344,470 tons), worth over a billion dollars. [[China]] produces about a third of this. <ref name="Thomas, 02">'''Thiomas, D.''' 2002 ''Seaweeds.'' The Natural History Museum, London. ISBN 0 565 09175 1</ref>

A related product, prepared from the unrelated green algae ''Monostroma'' and ''Enteromorpha'', is called ''[[aonori]]'' ({{lang|ja|青海苔}} literally ''blue nori''), and is used like [[herb]]s on everyday meals like [[okonomiyaki]] and [[yakisoba]].

==See also==
[[Laver (seaweed)]] - similar style common around the west coast of Great Britain and Ireland.

==External links==
* [http://www.surialink.com/HANDBOOK/Genera/reds/Porphyra/Porphyra.htm Suria Link Seaplants Handbook]
* [http://sushicup.com/maki-nori-preparation-sushi-rice-on-nori-6/2007/07/11/ Nori preparation for sushi]
* [http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=1086 Asian Food Grocer Seaweed page]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Red algae]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine]]
[[Category:Japanese ingredients]]
[[Category:Sea vegetables]]
[[Category:Japanese words and phrases]]

Nori - Revision history

Envoy at 17:15, 16 October 2007