The funny thing about mayo is: like many other now tasty to me foodstuffs, I used to dislike it. It probably didn’t help that the first memory I have of it is on warm bologna sandwiches where it was gloopy and just plain weird. I think the first time I started liking mayo was when it was cold and used as more of a dipping sauce as opposed to a spread. For the record, extra crispy fries dipped into garlic mayo is a resounding YES in my books.

If you’re not a mayo fan, you have to try Kewpie mayo: the ubiquitous clear, red-topped squeeze bottle of mayo found in practically every Japanese household. It’s tangy from rice vinegar, slightly sweet, and extra creamy. It is absolutely delicious and found on a bunch of classic Japanese dishes like takoyaki and okonomiyaki. It works especially well as a stand in for anywhere your might use mayo, like this tuna salad.

This salad is a little umami bomb and absolutely the perfect moreish no-carb snack. To a can of drained tuna, I stirred in a little bit of kewpie mayo, white miso instead of salt, celery for crunch, and green onions for bite. Instead of bread or crackers, I scooped it onto crispy seaweed. Super oishii!