There are a ton of vegan "tuna" salad recipes out there on the internet, and I've tried quite a few different variations, but for me, they were all missing something. I grew up on tuna salad with chopped boiled eggs in it, which I guess is a regional thing, and that was the flavor I have been missing. So since I have been cooking with black salt quite a bit lately, I decided to add it to my mock tuna salad, and it worked!
Vegan "Tuna" Salad
1.5 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned, drain & rinse)
1 tbsp vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise, but Nayonnaise could work just as well)
1 tsp mustard
2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
3 generous pinches black salt (Kala Namak - salt with a sulfurous smell/taste; can be purchased in some health food stores or online)
1/2 tsp kelp powder (optional)
Using a fork, coarsely mash chickpeas. It is okay to leave a few chickpeas whole, as it gives the mixture a nice texture. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve on a sandwich, over lettuce, or even alone, if you like. Makes about 3 servings.
I'm a sandwich girl myself. I usually add tomato right before eating.
If you didn't grow up on the tuna & egg salad like me, then you could use the basic mashed chickpeas and vegan mayo and customize it to your own taste, by adding chopped celery or other ingredients that say "tuna salad" to you. Whatever your veggie add-ins, you will be avoiding the problems with the original, like mercury-laden tuna and eggy, fatty mayo, while still getting a delicious, high protein lunch.
Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and that most of you are off tomorrow. I'm not, but at least I'll be earning a floating holiday and having a fantastic sandwich!
