By pulsing soaked sunflower seeds with salty capers, onion, oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon and nori sheets in a food processor, you actually get something that looks surprisingly similar to tinned tuna, with a crumbly, moist texture and a flavour that reminds us of salty seas and umami.
You can use the ‘tuna’ as a spread or in a salad (with the addition of celery and fresh herbs) but we like to add it to a tomato sauce and serve it with penne, creating a classic Italian peasant dish. The vegan ‘tuna’ adds a nice texture to the sauce and it improves the flavour, too. The kids love it! It is a simple recipe if you are on a budget and it is a tad more special than your basic pasta al pomodoro. So, go put your sunflower seeds in water and pretend they are a fish!