In our new series, eats with, The Restauranteurs deliver their know-how in easy to follow recipes to ensure your dining in is the new going out.
Pawel Kazanowski began his culinary journey at a young age. His mother was a restaurant manager at a traditional Polish restaurant and he spent most of his days always around the kitchen.
While he’s gone on to forge an impressive career for himself, he proudly admits that he has not studied at a culinary school, but learnt to create authentic Japanese delights straight from the masters of the art.
As for how he managed to get his start at Zuma, it all began 14 years ago when he was working at a restaurant in London and was getting the late train home after a long shift. As he sat on the bench he began flipping through a Japanese cookbook, and a gentleman passing by asked him if he was a chef and knew Japanese cuisine (at the time he couldn’t read Japanese, but he loved looking at the images). The gentleman, who just happened to be the head chef at Zuma, asked him to stop by the place he worked and see what they do. He went, fell in love, and is still now achieving great things for Zuma, more so in the Middle East and Turkey.
With his skill, passion and dedication he has won many accolades but sticks by his conviction, that it is all about teamwork. Food, according to him, is all about happiness. We couldn’t agree more.
“Cooking is not just about feeding people, it is about making people happy with every dish,” Chef Kazanowski says. “It is my way of expressing my emotions – with combinations of fragrances and ingredients.”
As for those aspiring to become acclaimed chefs, don’t give up is Chef Kazanowski’s mantra.
“If you deeply in your heart have the desire to become a chef, just follow your dream,” he says. “Don’t give up.” He also adds that to achieve the goal one must learn the meaning of patience and perseverance.
Now, as a treat for EW readers, Chef Kazanowski is sharing his spicy salmon maki recipe. You can thank us, and him, later.
Spicy salmon maki
Ingredients
- 65g Sushi rice. This can be purchased ready in most grocery shops. You can even use any short-grain rice.
- One sheet Nori (edible seaweed)
- 40g Fresh salmon (Best is, of course, Scottish salmon).
- To choose the freshest piece, the salmon should have a bright colour. When pressing your finger against the meat, it should spring back readily.
- 2tbsp Orange tobiko – (Flying fish roe)
- 1tbsp Spicy mayonnaise (adjust to your taste)
- 2 slices Avocado (thinly sliced)
- 3 slices Cucumber (thinly sliced)
- And last but not least you need a sushi mat. (These are easily available in some shops and online. Its a helping tool for the rolling and not a necessity)
Method
1. Place the nori (shiny side down) on the sushi mat, spread the sushi rice on the nori.
You should spread the rice very thinly and evenly on the whole nori.
2. One line of spicy mayonnaise in the middle
3. Followed by cucumber and avocado, and at finally place the salmon (thinly sliced pieces) on top
4. Roll the maki with the sushi mat
Roll tightly and press as this will give it a nice shape
5. Cut into six pieces and serve with tobiko, soya sauce, fresh (or pickled) ginger and wasabi
