Nori Chips

14h 35m

A delicious rice and nori chip. After frying, the rice puffs up and is ready to be eaten with some beer and soju, or even as a banchan. Once dehydrated, the nori chip can be kept indefinitely in an airtight container. You can also enjoy the rice porridge as a meal by itself or keep it for future preparations — for up to 6 months in the freezer or 5 days in the refrigerator — just make sure to add a little water or stock to loosen it as you reheat it.

I first experienced this delicious snack in Gwangju, in the Southwest of Korea, where they sell various versions of these dehydrated rice-covered vegetables at the open food market. At Insa, I like to serve them as an anju (foods to be eaten with drinks), always with a delicious tofu dip!

Add 3.79 l of water to a large pot
Cut 1 garlic head in half horizontally
Trim and quarter 1 onion
Peel the onion quarters
Cut a leaf of dried kombu into a 8 cm x 5 cm piece
Add the onion, the garlic, the dried kombu leaf and 5 dried shiitake mushroom to the pot
Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer for 30m, until the onion and garlic are translucent
Strain the liquid. The kombu dashi is ready
Add 1½ qt of the kombu dashi to a pot over medium-high heat
Add 2 cups of cooked rice and stir to combine. Bring to a boil
Scoop the foam from the surface with the help of a ladle
Lower the heat to medium and let the rice simmer for 15m until it resembles a loose risotto. Stir occasionally, making sure the bottom doesn't scorch
The rice porridge is ready. Transfer it to a container
Place it in the refrigerator for 30m until completely cool
Place 1 nori seaweed leaf, shiny side down, on a cutting board
Spread 4 tbsp of the cooled rice porridge over the nori, forming a thin layer
Sprinkle white sesame seeds to taste. Repeat the process with the other nori leaf
Carefully transfer the coated nori leaves to the dehydrator tray
Set the dehydrator to 71 °C and dry the nori for 12h until they are crunchy and moisture-free
Fill a small saucepan ⅓ of the way with vegetable oil and heat to 204 °C over medium-high heat
Carefully drop the dried nori and fry it quickly on both sides until the rice is completely puffed. Remove it from the oil and place it on a tray to remove excess oil. Repeat with the remaining dried nori leaves
Add salt to taste. The nori chips are ready
Enjoy it with your favorite dip!