Umi is a Japanese restaurant hidden in Stockbridge, Edinburgh – let head chef Kenny Zhong take you on a trip to Japan with this recipe for Teriyaki Salmon, plus a handy guide on how best to use chopsticks too.
Umi was opened with the aim of bringing authentic Japanese ramen to Scotland’s capital – they believe ramen can bring joy and happiness to a diner’s day.
Red paper lanterns, horigotatsu tables with cushions, shoji doors, rattan chairs and murals reflecting the Japanese street scene create a traditional, immersive and bustling atmosphere. Like its sister venues (Kenji Sushi and Bentoya), Umi’s menu hosts classic dishes with a twist and offers diners something different to try. They aim to offer high quality, authentic and diverse food which this recipe perfectly encapsulates.
Ingredients
200ml Sake
200ml Japanese soy sauce
400ml Mirin
200g Sugar
10g Fresh ginger
10g Lemon grass
25g Garlic
160g Salmon
Dill
Roast white sesame seeds
Method
1 Add the sake to the saucepan, on high heat. When the sake is boiling, flame it with a lighter to caramelise it.
2 Add the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, lemon grass and garlic to the pan and keep cooking on a high heat.
3 When the mixture starts to boil turn to a medium heat and caramelise all the ingredients. The sauce should thicken during this process.
4 Remove the vegetables from the pan and store in a cool place. Remove the leftover teriyaki sauce from the pan and set aside.
5 Pan Fry the salmon for around 1 minute on each side. Pour the teriyaki sauce into the pan and cook for a further 1 minute to reduce the sauce.
6 When serving, decorate with sesame seed, dill and a slice of lemon.
How to use chopsticks
Kenny Zhong has included this handy guide on how to use chopsticks for all the novices out there. Chopsticks originated in China in the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) and were originally used for cooking. Used throughout China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, there are variations in everything from styles and materials to etiquette. Here is his basic guide on how best to hold them:
1 Hold your hand out as though you are shaking hands with someone
2. Put the first chopstick under your thumb, resting it on the palm
3. Hold the second stick between your thumb and forefinger
4. Bend your ring finger and little finger, and tuck the ring finger under the lower chopstick
5. Put your middle finger under the top stick
6. Move the top stick up and down to grip food in a pincerlike fashion
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