The pleasures of holidays are fleeting, but the memories and the influence of the foods and flavours far outlast the plane ticket home. A few years ago, I travelled to Crete where there were savage landscapes, transparent waters, quiet coves and unhurried villages to be discovered, but for me the legendary food was the bona fide tourist attraction. Full disclosure – I’ve always had a fetish for taramasalata. A smear of this dusky pink Greek spread transports me to happy times at tavernas overlooking the Aegean, drinking ouzo with ice. This version is vegan, so of course it contains none of the traditional carp roe, but, thanks to the briny flavour of the nori, it still tastes like something that was plucked from the sea.
Serves 6
toasted nori 8 sheets
silken tofu 200g, patted dry and broken up
white bread 100g, crustless, soaked in water then drained and squeezed
white onion 1, finely grated
lemon juice of 1
extra virgin olive oil 150ml
sea salt and black pepper
To serve
sourdough toast 8 thin slices
togarashi or a few dried chilli flakes
lemon wedges
Finely grind the toasted nori in a blender. Transfer to a bowl, clean out the blender, then combine the tofu, bread, onion and lemon juice in it and process until smooth. While the motor is still running, gradually add the oil and process until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ¾ of the ground nori and mix again. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill until required.
To serve, spread generously on toast and top with a sprinkle of the nori and some togarashi or chilli flakes. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
From Comfort and Joy by Ravinder Bhogal (Bloomsbury, £26). To order a copy for £22.88 go to guardianbookshop.com
