Nori no Tsukudani is a popular Japanese rice topping that offers a rich, savory taste of the sea. Although you might not be familiar with the black color of nori seaweed, you will be pleasantly surprised by its rich flavor once you try it.

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What is Nori no Tsukudani?
Nutrients in nori seaweed
Benefits of making at home
Optimal dashi choice
📋Step-by-step recipe
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What is Nori no Tsukudani?

Nori no Tsukudani is a rice topping made by simmering nori seaweed in dashi broth with a sweet and savory blend of Japanese seasonings. "Nori" refers to nori seaweed, "no" indicates possession (modifying the word following it), and "Tsukudani" means food cooked with soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings until most of the liquid has evaporated. It is typically enjoyed in small portions with rice, much like spreading butter on bread.

Simmering nori seaweed enhances its flavor, and the addition of sweet and savory Japanese seasonings makes it a perfect complement to rice. Recently, it has gained popularity not only as a rice topping but also as a spread for bread or as an ingredient in pasta sauce. Both pairings are delicious.

Nutrients in nori seaweed

Nori seaweed is a staple ingredient in Japan, and in recent years, it has become popular outside of Japan as a key ingredient in sushi rolls and various other dishes. It is known as the 'vegetable of the sea,' and it is so rich in nutrients that there is a saying, "eating two sheets of nori a day is believed to keep the doctor away."

The primary nutrients found in nori include the following:

Protein
Dietary fiber
Folic acid
Vitamin B12
Iodine

Nori no tsukudani not only provides these nutrients but also allows you to enjoy the full, delicious flavor of nori. In my opinion, it stands out as one of the most delicious foods made with nori as the main ingredient.

Benefits of making at home

Since nori no tsukudani is a popular Japanese rice topping, you can likely find it at an Asian market. While the taste may vary slightly depending on the brand, it is generally delicious.

Making this dish at home allows you to adjust the taste to your preference without including unnecessary additives, such as thickeners or stabilizers. The absence of these additives eliminates unwanted flavors, resulting in a more refined taste.

Another benefit is that you can use leftover nori seaweed that might have become damp over time. This dish is an ideal way to make use of nori left from a previous purchase.

Optimal dashi choice

Nori no tsukudani is typically made by simmering nori seaweed in seasonings and dashi broth. In Japanese cuisine, awase dashi, which combines kombu dashi and bonito dashi, is usually used, but I recommend using shiitake mushroom dashi for this dish. While awase dashi also works well, shiitake dashi allows you to taste the umami flavor of the nori without interference.

Making shiitake dashi is quite simple: just soak dried shiitake mushrooms in water (0.85 oz/24 g per 2 cups/480 ml of water) in the refrigerator for about 10 hours. For more details on how to make shiitake dashi, please refer to the linked page.

📋Step-by-step recipe

Ingredients

Servings: 4

US Customary - Metric

▢ 4 nori seaweed (full sheet)
▢ ⅖ cup dashi (I recommend shiitake dashi, but you can also use awase dashi or other types of dashi)

Seasonings:

▢ 2 Tbsp sake
▢ 2 Tbsp mirin
▢ 2 tsp sugar
▢ 2 Tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

🕒 Total: 15

Step 1
Tear nori seaweed into pieces and put them in a pot. Add dashi and seasonings (sake, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce) to the pot, and let it sit for a few minutes until the nori softens.

Step 2
Heat the pot over medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally with chopsticks or a spatula until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.

To Store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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