“Do you have any leftover nori (seaweed)?” Five addictive recipes that will get you hooked!

Here's a recipe for chicken thigh and snow pea salad with seaweed, a dish whose refreshing taste of the sea will whet your appetite. The seaweed paste added to the dressing and the roasted seaweed sprinkled on top ensure a delightful aroma of seaweed in every bite. Piercing the chicken thigh in several places with a fork will help ensure even cooking. You can also use chicken tenderloin or chicken breast instead of chicken thigh, so please give it a try!

Materials (for 2 people)

• Chicken thigh meat... 120g
• Cooking sake... 1 tablespoon
• Snow peas... 70g
• Cold water (for cooling) ... appropriate amount
• Glue (full size) ... 1 sheet
• (A) Seaweed paste... 1 tablespoon
• (A) Mayonnaise... 1 tablespoon
• (A) Soy sauce... 1 teaspoon

Instructions Preparation: Remove the stems and strings from the snow peas. 1. Cut the snow peas in half, place them in a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and heat in a 600W microwave for 2 minutes. Then transfer to cold water to cool. 2. Pierce the chicken thigh in several places with a fork, place the chicken thigh and cooking sake in a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and heat in a 600W microwave for 3 minutes. Once cooled, cut into bite-sized pieces. 3. Tear the nori into bite-sized pieces by hand. 4. Put (A) in a bowl and mix well. Add the well-drained snow peas and nori and mix. 5. Serve on a plate and garnish with the nori.

*Heating times may vary depending on the microwave model, the type of heat-resistant container used, and the condition of the food. Please check the food and adjust the heating time as needed until it is completely cooked through.

2. Yam covered in seaweed - also great as a snack.

Let's make a dish of nagaimo (Japanese yam) covered in so much nori (seaweed) that you can't even see the nagaimo underneath! Sauté the nagaimo and dried sardines in a frying pan, season with ponzu sauce and wasabi, then top with plenty of finely torn nori. When freshly made, you can enjoy the crisp texture of the nori, but if you let it sit for a while, the nori will soften and blend well with the nagaimo, making it very delicious.

Materials (for 2 people)

• Nagaimo (Japanese yam) ... 250g
• Glue (19 x 20 cm) ... 5 sheets
• Dried baby sardines... 20g
• A small amount of chopped green onions.
• Sesame oil... 2 tablespoons
• (A) Ponzu sauce... 1 tablespoon
• (A) Wasabi... 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions Preparation: Combine (A). 1. Peel the yam and cut it into 1cm wide strips. 2. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add sesame oil, add 1 and stir-fry until golden brown on all sides. 3. Add the dried sardines to 2 once it's browned, pour (A) over it and mix well, then transfer to a plate. 4. Tear the nori into small pieces by hand and place on top of 3, sprinkle with chopped green onions and it's done.

3. Deep-fried yam and minced meat wrapped in seaweed

Here's a recipe for Isobe-age (deep-fried seaweed wrapped around grated yam), specifically the elastic Yamatoimo variety. Grated Yamatoimo is mixed with ground chicken and seasonings, wrapped in seaweed, and pan-fried until golden brown. The result is a crispy exterior and a chewy interior, with a salty batter and the flavor of seaweed that makes it irresistibly delicious! It's also a great snack to enjoy with drinks. Give it a try!

Materials (for 2 people)

• Japanese yam... 100g
• Ground chicken... 50g
• Green onions... 2 stalks
• (A) Potato starch... 1 tablespoon
• (A) Cooking sake... 1 teaspoon
• (A) Granulated Japanese-style dashi stock... 1/2 teaspoon
• (A) Salt... 1/2 teaspoon
• Glue (19 x 20 cm) ... 1 sheet
• Frying oil... appropriate amount
• Soy sauce... 2 teaspoons
• Salt... 1 teaspoon

Instructions Preparation: Peel the yam and grate it. 1. Cut off the roots of the green onions and chop them finely. 2. Put the grated yam, ground chicken, chopped green onions, and (A) into a bowl and mix well. 3. Cut the nori into 8 equal parts. Place the mixture from step 2 on each and wrap it up. 4. Pour frying oil into a frying pan to a height of about 1 cm from the bottom and heat to 170°C. Add the wrapped yam and fry for about 5 minutes until cooked through, then drain the oil. 5. Arrange on a plate and serve with soy sauce and salt.

4. Avocado nori roll tempura

Perfect as a side dish or a snack! Introducing avocado nori roll tempura. The creamy avocado and the savory flavor of the seaweed go together perfectly, making it a favorite for both children and adults. The key to the tempura batter is using mayonnaise instead of egg. It turns out nice and crispy. Enjoy with salt or soy sauce to your liking.

Materials (for 2 people)

• Avocado... 1
• Glue (full size) ... 1 sheet
• Cake flour... 1 tablespoon

-----Tempura batter-----

• Cake flour... 50g
• Cold water... 100ml
• Mayonnaise... 1 tablespoon
• Frying oil... appropriate amount
• Salt... 1 teaspoon
• Soy sauce... 1 teaspoon

Instructions 1. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, cut into 8 wedges, and peel. 2. Cut the nori into 8 equal pieces. 3. Wrap the nori around the avocado wedges and sprinkle with all-purpose flour using a tea strainer. 4. Make the tempura batter. In a bowl, mix cold water and mayonnaise well, add the all-purpose flour and mix lightly until some lumps remain, then dip the avocado wedges into the batter. 5. Pour about 3 cm of frying oil into a pot, heat to 180°C, add the avocado wedges, and fry for about 3 minutes. Drain the oil, arrange on a plate, and serve.

5. Simple and easy seaweed soup

Here's a simple and easy nori soup recipe that lets you fully enjoy the delicious flavors of dashi and nori. Bring the dashi broth to a boil in a pot, then pour it into a bowl containing finely torn nori. The aroma of the sea and dashi that wafts up with the steam is sure to whet your appetite! The wasabi added at the end provides a nice accent, making it a dish you'll want to make again and again. A warm soup on the table is so comforting, isn't it? This is a recommended dish for when you want a soup for one or for busy mornings.

Materials (for 1 person)

• Glue (10 x 18 cm) ... 1 sheet
• (A) Water...200ml
• (A) Cooking sake... 1/2 tablespoon
• (A) Light soy sauce... 1/2 teaspoon
• (A) Granulated Japanese-style dashi stock... 1/3 teaspoon
• Wasabi... appropriate amount
• White sesame seeds... appropriate amount

Instructions 1. Tear the nori into small pieces by hand. 2. Put (A) in a pot and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. 3. Put 1 into a bowl and pour 2 over it. Serve with wasabi if desired and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.

Let's make a side dish using fragrant seaweed!

How did you like it? This time, we introduced some side dish recipes using seaweed. Seaweed, with its refreshing ocean aroma, is a flavor that everyone from children to adults loves. If you want to use up any leftover seaweed, please try the recipes we introduced today.

*Drinking alcohol is prohibited by law for those under 20 years of age. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may adversely affect the development of the fetus or infant. Also, please refrain from consuming alcohol while driving, playing sports, or bathing.

*Some parts of this article use AI-generated images.