Season 7

The fresh taste of parsley pops alongside Chinese wonton wrappers in this week’s helping of SIMPLY MING. To kick off the season, Ming’s mother Iris Tsai rules the kitchen, helping him prepare three tasty dishes. First up, Ming and his mother prepare the perfect appetizer, flavorful Shrimp and Parsley Wontons with a Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce that will wow your guests. Then, for a spin on a classic dish, they put together a Crispy Wonton and Salmon Napoleon with Parsley-Roasted Garlic Puree. In a nod to Ming's French training, Ming and his mother cook up Asian Pistou Dumplings Simmered in Lime Broth, a hearty, comforting dish that can be prepared all in one pot. Finally, Iris takes over and shows Ming how to make Pork, Shiitake and Parsley Shumai, dumplings bursting with flavor. RECIPES Crispy Wonton and Salmon Napoleon with Parsley-Roasted Garlic Puree Shrimp and Parsley Wontons with Soy-Vinegar Sauce Iris Tsai's Pork, Shiitake and Parsley Shumai Asian Pistou Dumplings in Lime Broth COOKING TIPS Shrimp Basics Sharpening Knives

This week on SIMPLY MING we have two ingredients that are sure to please even the pickiest eater: from the East, Ponzu sauce, a citrus-based sauce with a tangy, yet sweet, flavor and from the West, crispy, satisfying bacon. These sweet and salty ingredients meet in Ming’s first recipe, a Bacon-Pineapple Fried Rice, easy to prepare in one vessel and sure to satisfy every craving. Then, Ming shares his recipe for Best Ever Warm Bacon-Mushroom Salad, a delicious variation of the sophisticated French salad of frisée and lardons. Later, Ming combines seafood and bacon in a mouthwatering Ponzu-Glazed Bacon and Shrimp dish. Renowned chef, author and humanitarian Art Smith takes to the kitchen armed with a recipe for a savory Tomato and Ponzu Pie with Bacon Crust.

This week on SIMPLY MING, Chef Ming Tsai’s East-West dishes combine the acidity of lemons with Soju, a mild-flavored, slightly sweet version of vodka that is ideal for cocktails and cooking. Toast to good health with friends after you stir up two drinks that feature a delicate balance between tart and sweet – a Lemon-Soju Martini and a Soju-Citrus Collins. If your guests aren’t blown off their seats yet, they will be when they sample Shrimp Balls with a tangy Soju-Tomato dipping Sauce. For a dessert that will end the night on a high note, Buckwheat Crepes with Lemon-Banana Flambé are sure to make everyone’s taste buds sing. And later, celebrity chef Susur Lee stops by Ming’s studio kitchen, putting the East-West pair to work with his Soju and Lemon Roasted Crusted Wild Salmon

The sweetness of palm sugar paired with tart cranberries make up the East-West pair in this week’s serving of SIMPLY MING. First, Chef Ming Tsai prepares a delicious main course, Roasted Cranberry Glazed Chicken Breast on a Bed of Sweet Potato-Fennel Fricassee. If you’re looking for a quick and easy dish, Ming cooks up an all-in-one, Sweet and Sour Pork served over Fried Scallion-Orzo. For a dessert that has just the right balance of tangy, creamy and sweet, Ming serves up a Free Form Cranberry Orange Tart served with vanilla ice cream. Popular celebrity chef Michael Schlow takes the helm in Ming’s studio kitchen to create a refreshing spicy and sweet salad, Hamachi Crudo with Cranberry Compote, Jalapeno and Micro Cilantro.

In a sweet twist, this week’s helping of SIMPLY MING starts with dessert, a delicious Ginger-Thyme Cake with Ginger Cream that highlights the East-West ingredient pairing. Next, Chef Ming Tsai cooks up Seared Scallops with Ginger-Thyme Pan Sauce, a recipe bursting with flavor. To enhance these dishes, Ming prepares a Ginger-Thyme Soju Martini. Joshua Viertel, president of Slow Food USA, joins Ming in the kitchen to put his spin on the East-West ingredients with a Thyme and Ginger Roast Chicken

This week on SIMPLY MING, Chef Ming Tsai’s East-West dishes combine the smooth, creaminess of butter with the rich, nutty flavor of sesame seeds. These ingredients are first merged in Ming’s Sesame Butter Brittle, a delicious treat that gives Ming something to snack on while sharing his tasty recipe for Sesame-Chive Butterfish with Buttered Edamames and Spinach. To finish off the meal, Ming prepares a decadent Sesame Tuile Napoleon with Gingered Apple Flambé that he serves with Vanilla Hemp Ice Cream. Later, renowned chef Charles Draghi visits the kitchen studio to create elegant Piemontese-style Veal Chops with Sesame and Sage Butter.

In this week’s serving of SIMPLY MING, sweet, smooth coconut milk from the East is paired with tart cranberries from the West. To begin, Chef Ming Tsai prepares a Coconut-Cranberry Chicken Curry that introduces India to Cape Cod through its sweet, tart and spicy flavors. Then, Ming uses a brined pork loin to make succulent Peppered Pork Tenderloin with Sweet and Sour Cranberry-Coconut Sauce. To complete the meal, Ming demonstrates the tricks to preparing the perfect poundcake with his delicious recipe for Coconut-Cranberry Poundcake with Coconut Glaze. And later, Annie Copps, Senior Editor for food at Yankee Magazine puts a fun spin on the ingredient pairing with her Coconut and Banana Freeze Pops with Dried Cranberries.

This week on SIMPLY MING, Chef Ming Tsai introduces tamari, the original soy sauce of Japan, to olive oil, which the ancient Greeks considered to be liquid gold. Using a wheat-free, organic tamari, Ming first prepares a Tamari Marinated Tofu-Cucumber Salad, a perfectly refreshing and safe dish for people with a wheat allergy. Then, putting a spin on a traditionally French recipe, Ming cooks up Asian Ratatouille with Couscous. Later, he prepares a New Style Salmon Sashimi, an understated appetizer sure to wow your guests. Finally, Ming is joined by his parents, Iris and Stephen Tsai, who put the East-West ingredients to work with Tamari Pork and Bell Pepper on Olive Oil-Noodle Cake.

This week’s serving of SIMPLY MING introduces two world travelers, Japan’s versatile Panko flakes from the East and Dijon Mustard from the West. To start, Chef Ming Tsai puts a sophisticated spin on chips and dip with his Panko Crusted Eggplant Chips with Dijon-Sour Cream Dip. Rather than making traditional beef meat loaf, Ming uses ground turkey and pork for a mouthwatering Dijon Meat Loaf. Later, Ming plays up the subtle flavor of trout in a Panko and Dijon Crusted Trout on Cucumber-Quinoa Salad. Greg Zaff, creator of the nonprofit SquashBusters – an organization that challenges and nurtures urban youth through the game of squash – puts on his game face while working with SquashBusters student Rodney to cook up Panko and Mustard Chicken Tenders with Vegetables and Honey-Dijon-Yogurt Sauce.

For this week’s East-West pairing on SIMPLY MING, Chef Ming Tsai introduces Organic Soy Sauce to the laidback citrus flavor of Preserved Lemons. First, Ming prepares Preserved Lemon-Edamame Tapenade served with Whole Wheat Pita Chips, a nutrient-rich appetizer that will impress your guests. Then, Ming enhances the East-West pair with the intense flavors of chile and garlic in his Lemon Broccolini-Shiitake Sautee with Garlic Chips. Later, Ming reels you in with an enticing Pan Roasted Line Caught Halibut with Soy-Lemon Sauce. Finally, guest celebrity chef Ken Oringer puts the East-West duo to work in his sumptuous Lacquered Pork Belly with Preserved Lemons and Soy Sake Glaze.

Organic Teriyaki and Cream are the East-West stars in this week’s SIMPLY MING, and they’re not just for grilling and coffee. After first preparing more traditional Grilled Teriyaki Tempeh Satays with Garlic Creamed Spinach, Chef Ming Tsai creates a unique flavor pairing with his unconventional Teriyaki Shrimp Alfredo. Later, Ming prepares a robust All-in-One Teriyaki Chicken Stew with potatoes, which he serves over brown rice. And joining Ming in the kitchen is Melina Shannon-DiPietro, Executive Director of the Yale Sustainable Food Project, who creates a fresh, healthy Summer Lettuce Salad with Teriyaki-Red Wine Vinaigrette.

In this week’s helping of SIMPLY MING, Chef Ming Tsai introduces Japan’s “dancing mushroom,” Maitake, to the popular fermented condiment, Worcestershire Sauce. First, Ming prepares a new take on an Asian classic with a Maitake-Chicken Hot and Sour Soup. Then, Ming mixes things up with Angry and Killer Shrimp and Maitakes on Grits. While preparing a delicious Maitake Brown Rice Risotto, Ming shares his restaurant method for getting risotto ready for a dinner party or guests. And later, Tony Maws, chef/proprietor of Craigie on Main, stops by Ming’s studio kitchen, where he puts the East-West pair to work in his impressive Braised Oxtails with Maitake, Caramelized Shallots and Orange.

This week’s helping of SIMPLY MING merges the heat found in Sriracha with rich, smooth Greek Yogurt. For a dish that has the perfect balance of flavor, Chef Ming Tsai pairs his East and West ingredients to prepare Chile Grilled Shrimp Satays with Ginger-Yogurt Fennel Salad. Ming also offers up a delicious vegetarian option – Panko Eggplant with Chile-Yogurt Salsa. Later, Ming gives tacos a Greek twist with his Best Ever Lamb Tacos with Chile-Tzatziki. Billy Starr, founder and executive director of the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, pays a visit to Ming’s kitchen studio where he impresses everyone with his Open-faced Grilled Naan Sandwich topped with Grilled Chicken Tikka Masala, Grilled Zucchini, Summer Tomatoes, Feta Cheese and Sriracha Hippy-Shake.

In Chinese cuisine, meat and fruit are a classic combination. Pineapple with pork is just one example, and, the best part is, the pairing has proved popular with adults and picky children alike – especially sweet and sour sauce! To prove his love for all things sweet and savory, Ming creates a master recipe of Cranberry-Lemongrass Sauce, made with shallots, garlic, and finished with butter. With it, he cooks a Coriander-Crusted Venison Carpaccio with Cranberry-Lemongrass Frisee Salad, as well as a Double-Thick Glazed Pork Chop. After preparing a Seared Duck with Yam Ravioli, Ming takes a trip to Beijing’s Da Dong restaurant to see owner Da Dong making Peking duck. Guest chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin Restaurant appears in the studio to create a Hamachi Tandoori with Pickled Cucumber Salad.

When fresh, ginger can transform any drink or meal into a refreshing and unique dining experience. Using the popular root, Ming develops a master recipe for delicious and versatile Ginger Syrup. According to Ming, Ginger Syrup can substitute for the more common corn variety adding a special zing wherever it’s used. Ming creates a new twist on a standby favorite, beef and broccoli, with his Ginger Beef and Leeks, and serves up a Blue Ginger Gimlet, by far the most popular drink at his restaurant. Best-Ever Ginger-Limeade and comforting Glazed Chicken Thighs and Carrots completes the menu. Guest chef Michael Schlow of Boston’s Radius and Via Matta uses the master recipe to create Chilled Shrimp and Cucumber Salad with Sweet and Spicy Ginger Vinaigrette.