Nori algae is a type of edible seaweed that has a particularly long tradition of culinary use. For hundreds of years, the red algae has been an essential ingredient in the cuisine of its countries of origin: Japan, Korea and China. The cultivation of nori algae has a long history which began as early as the 18th century. In Japan, the cultivation of the algae is an important industry, and it enjoys great popularity in kitchens around the world due to its taste and nutritional properties.
Nori is the Japanese term for edible algae. The term refers to various genera including Porphyra, Pyropia, Neopyropia and Ulva. The Ulva genus includes green algae such as aosa and aonori, while the others are mainly red algae. What they all have in common is their savoury umami flavour which is coupled with nobly sweet notes.
Amanori can be translated as "sweet nori", and is a black nori algae. Its name is no coincidence, as the seaweed has an outstandingly sweet, umami flavour. It is suitable for consumption as a nutritious snack and also for adding to Japanese dishes.