I love to snack. Particularly before dinner in that 5-6pm dead space when you know it's too early to eat a full meal but late enough in the day when your brain naturally tends towards thoughts of culinary pleasure.
But snacking, as we have been told so often, is dangerous. Sure, you tell yourself you'll only nibble, so as to take "the edge off" but not spoil your dinner. But, if you're like me, this plan often comes to ruin. The cheese, the crackers, the nuts. Too often they do exactly what you had feared. Fill you up before you can enjoy the glories of dinner. This is a problem.
Which is why nori chips could perhaps be the best thing for the perpetual snacker. They are absolutely delicious: just enough saltiness to satisfy that nut/chip craving, but light enough so that it's physically impossible to spoil your dinner with them. They are literally "melt in your mouth" delicious.
Again, I must thank Bittman for this recipe. In his vegetarian cookbook, he repeatedly sings the praises of "seagreens" (seaweed to you and me). He puts them in everything as a filler, topping, or side dish, but I was more intrigued by the snack version of nori. Just as he promised, they literally took seconds to make (and seconds to eat). As long as you can find seaweed sushi wrappers in your grocery store, you're golden. No extra special version is required. Dark sesame oil is best for these, just because it adds just another hint of flavor, but whatever oil you can find will work perfectly.
Honestly, I know they look weird. Just try them. Your snacking self will thank you.
Ingredients
6 sheets nori
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
Salt
Method
Put a skillet over medium high heat. Brush the nori with the sesame oil and sprinkle with salt. Put a single nori sheet in the pan and toast it until it shrinks up, about 15 seconds. Turn it over and toast the other side for 15 seconds.
Use scissors to cut the sheets into rectangular "chips". Serve within a few hours.