Laver

Laver is a group of thin, sheet-like red seaweeds (Porphyra species) found along coastlines worldwide. It is best known as the seaweed used to make nori — the dried sheets that wrap sushi — though in its fresh or minimally processed form it has a softer, more delicate texture and a sweet, umami-rich flavour.

In Welsh and Irish cooking, laver has a long tradition — laverbread (bara lawr) is made by boiling the seaweed into a dark, paste-like purée that is rolled in oatmeal and fried. In East Asian cuisines, it is dried into sheets or flakes and used as a seasoning, wrap, or snack.

Fresh laver is occasionally found at specialist fishmongers and Asian grocers in Australia, while dried forms — nori sheets, seaweed flakes, and roasted seaweed snacks — are widely available in supermarkets.