Recipe: Wasabi Seaweed Rice Paper Chips

Wasabi Seaweed Rice Paper Chips

I have a weakness for chips, any kind. Put a bowl of something crisp and salty in front of me, and I will happily ignore almost everything else except for dark chocolate and triple-cream cheese. That is my holy trifecta of temptation.

These wasabi nori rice paper chips are especially dangerous. They somehow bring together two of the biggest food influences in my life: Vietnam and Japan. Rice paper, with its almost impossibly light, shattering crunch, meets the salty, oceanic hit of nori and the sharp heat of wasabi. It feels like a little meeting of two food worlds in one very moreish snack.

And once you get the hang of rice paper chips, there is plenty of room to play. Add sesame seeds, chili spice, dial the wasabi up or down, or simply fry the rice paper on its own. The basic technique is so simple that you can take it in all sorts of directions.

This is another recipe Chow and I created for Bites, our book project that eventually got rolled into a much larger project, Thai Food Stories, coming from Tuttle Publishing in June 2027. I loved this one too much to let it disappear along with Bites.

It is quick, ridiculously easy, and exactly the kind of thing I want around when I am craving something crunchy, salty and a little bit fiery.

Consider yourself warned: making a batch does not necessarily mean you will have a batch left.

Makes a big bowl of chips Prep time: 15-20 minutes

• 3 sheets Rice paper (square is preferable but round can be used and trimmed)
• 3 sheets Nori paper (seaweed laver)
• 1-2 cups neutral-tasting oil
• 2-3 tablespoons wasabi paste (Japanese mustard paste may be substituted)
• 2-3 Tablespoons warm water
• A sprinkle of flaky sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds or togarashi (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the wasabi paste and warm water to form a loose paste. Adjust the amount of wasabi used according to your preferred level of spiciness. Alternatively, you can use Asian mustard as a substitute.
2. Lay out the rice paper sheets flat on a cutting board or work surface.
3. Using a pastry brush or spoon, apply a layer of the wasabi paste mixture on the surface of each rice paper sheet.
4. Place a sheet of nori paper on top of the wasabi-coated side of each rice paper sheet, making sure that the rough side of the nori paper is facing downwards. Press gently to make them stick together.
5. Using scissors, cut the combined rice paper and nori sheet into any shape you like: triangles, squares, rectangles- just make sure to trim off edges where nori and rice paper don't align.
6. Heat oil in a small pot or deep side saucepan over medium-high heat. The oil should be hot enough to fry the chips, but not too hot to burn them.
7. Fry the rice paper and nori strips in batches for about 30-60 seconds or until nicely crisped up.
8. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the chips from the oil and drain them on paper towels or in a colander.
9. While the chips are still warm, sprinkle them with flaky sea salt and toasted sesame seeds and/or togarashi if desired.

Tip: You can also make these chips in an air fryer for an even healthier and quicker option. Simply preheat the air fryer to 375°F, spray the chips lightly with cooking oil, and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown.