Nori is commonly used as a wrap for sushi and onigiri. It is also a garnish or flavoring in noodle preparations and soups. It is most typically toasted prior to consumption (yaki-nori). A common secondary product is toasted and flavored nori(ajitsuke-nori), in which a flavoring mixture (variable, but typically soy sauce, sugar, sake, mirin, and seasonings) is applied in combination with the toasting process. It is also eaten by making it into a soy sauce-flavored paste, nori no tsukudani (海苔の佃煮).

When the sushi rice is wrapped in nori (seaweed) and rolled, it is a Sushi Roll.  In Japan we call it Makizushi or Maki Sushi (巻き寿司). There are several types of sushi rolls:

• Hosomaki (細巻き) – Thin rolls (1″ in diameter), nori on outside, containing 1 ingredient
• Chumaki (中巻き) – Medium rolls (1-1.5″ in dameter), nori on outside, containing 2-3 ingredients
• Futomaki (太巻き) – Thick rolls (2-2.5″ in diameter), nori on outside, containing 4-5 ingredients
• Uramaki (裏巻き) – “Inside-out” rolls (nori on the inside – like California Roll)
• Temaki (手巻き) – Cone-shaped hand rolls