Nika says: ‘There is a huge range of different kinds of forshmak in Odesa and in Ukraine. Some of them include hard boiled eggs. Some have cottage cheese. The dish became popular in our region during the times when Jewish people were only allowed to live within an area called the Pale of Settlement and could only work in certain low paid jobs, so families had to use whatever they had at home to make often oversalted and cheap herring taste good. If they were lucky enough to have chickens, they would add a hard-boiled egg.’

She adds that her mum makes outstanding forshmak. The recipe is extremely easy, as long as you can find the right kind of herring – lightly brined, not smoked, not too salted. She prefers it kept in brine, but the kind kept in oil is also fine. In the UK you can find similar herring in Polish shops – taste them first, and if they are already quite vinegary there is no need to add the extra vinegar in the recipe.

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