Leeds restaurants: A delicious vegan alternative to a tuna melt toastie from the chef at Punk Vegan

The owner of Leeds cafe Punk Vegan has shared her recipe for a delicious 'chuna' melt toastie with Yorkshire Evening Post readers.
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Bex Dawson is on a mission to simplify vegan food, creating hearty grub that even the biggest carnivores will be happy to devour.

This recipe is a vegan twist on the deli favourite using chickpeas and nori as a tuna alternative. The chickpea filling makes two to three servings, perfect for planning lunches for the week ahead.

Ingredients:

Bex Dawson is the co-owner of Punk Vegan in Hyde Park (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)Bex Dawson is the co-owner of Punk Vegan in Hyde Park (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)
Bex Dawson is the co-owner of Punk Vegan in Hyde Park (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)

Chuna:

- 1 tin of chickpeas, drained

- 1 sheet nori seaweed

- 1/2 cup vegan mayo

This recipe is a vegan twist on the deli favourite using chickpeas and nori as a tuna alternative (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)This recipe is a vegan twist on the deli favourite using chickpeas and nori as a tuna alternative (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)
This recipe is a vegan twist on the deli favourite using chickpeas and nori as a tuna alternative (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)

- 1 tsp salt (add more to taste)

- 1-2 tbsp lime juice

Toastie:

- 1/2 small red onion, sliced (optional)

- 1/4 cup sliced vegan cheese

- 1/2 tbsp vegan butter

- two slices of bread (any)

Method:

Drain and rinse the chickpeas before adding to a bowl.

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Blend the sheet of nori until it is very fine and looks like green glitter. Sometimes the nori struggles to blend in small quantities, if this happens take a few sheets, rip them up and blend a larger amount. Any extra nori can be stored in a jar.

Add the remaining chuna ingredients into a bowl and using a fork or potato masher, crush the chickpeas until all the ingredients are combined. Adjust salt and lime to your taste.

Place a skillet or pan on the hob on a medium heat and let it warm up. Butter both sides of the bread and place to the side for the moment.

Once the pan is nice and hot, add around 1/3 of the chuna mix, vegan cheese and onions, gently warming until cheese starts to melt. You can skip this step and add it straight to the toastie, but this guarantees a perfect melt.

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Add the chuna, cheese and onion filling to a slice of bread and place the other slice on top. Make sure the outside of the bread is buttered and place in the pan or skillet. Flip until both sides are golden.

Plate up and enjoy this delicious tuna alternative.

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