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Thanks to his cooking program on the Television Food Network, Ming
Tsai has gone from chef to culinary celebrity, taking recipes from his
Massachusetts restaurant, Blue Ginger, and using them to introduce cooking
with Asian ingredients in a most appealing way. Beyond being attractive,
serene, and engagingly articulate, Ming Tsai makes cooking with Asian
ingredients look easy. This book, a companion to his television shows,
offers the same approach and low-key instructions that viewers have come
to love. To fill in the visual details for those who have not viewed the
cooking series, the book includes step-by-step black-and-white photos for
filling potsticker dumplings, rolling sushi, and preparing sushi rice, as
well as glorious color shots of many of the completed dishes.
Tsai's specialty is bringing ingredients and techniques of Asia and the
West together. It's not surprising to find Tsai using Asian banana leaves,
French foie gras, and Southwestern chipotle chile peppers all at once. In
fact, it's only natural for the Ohio-raised son of Chinese immigrants, who
trained at the classically oriented Cordon Bleu in Paris and has cooked at
U.S. restaurants from San Francisco to Santa Fe. His ability to create
easily reproduced, globally influenced dishes is exceptional, and results
in delights such as Smoky Turkey Shao Mai (dumplings filled with a
chipotle-heated filling) and Asian Gazpacho spiked with ginger and Thai
basil. Keeping it simple, Tsai offers a quick roll-up of Prosciutto and
Asian Pear Maki. Lemon Basmati Rice, flavored with lemon zest and ginger,
or couscous blended with a sauté of onion, scallion, and currants--both
are side dishes made in minutes that can dress up a store-bought chicken,
grilled meat, or Tsai's salmon teriyaki, creatively flavored with orange
juice.
Blue Ginger offers many ways to spice up family meals and dishes
to surprise guests without too much effort. Cooking from this book is an
opportunity to take Asian ingredients you may have eaten in restaurants
and master using them in your own kitchen. --Dana Jacobi
Book Description
John Mariani has called Ming Tsai "the foremost interpreter of
East-West cuisine in America today," and the appreciative diners at
Blue Ginger, Ming's celebrated restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and
fans of his top-rated Food Network show, East Meets West with Ming Tsai,
agree. Now, in his first cookbook, Ming shares the technique and
philosophy behind his exciting cross-cultural fare.
The key, Ming explains, is retaining a healthy respect for the
traditions of each cuisine so that diverse elements can be combined in a
harmonious way. His trademark Foie Gras and Morel Shu Mai, for example,
elevates a traditional yet simple Asian preparation with a luxuriously
sophisticated Western ingredient and transforms a humble dish into truly
elegant fare. Prosciutto and Asian Pear Maki is a playful reinterpretation
of a Japanese favorite, while Classic Roast Chicken with Sticky Rice
Stuffing gives the holiday staple a savory new spin. The result is food
that's inventive yet not trendy, complex in flavor but surprisingly easy
to prepare.
In chapters devoted to Soups; Dim Sum (irresistible starters and
bite-sized party fare); Rice and Noodles; Seafood; Birds; Meat; Sides;
Oils, Dips and Seasonings; and Desserts, Ming proves again and again how
delicious the coming together of East and West can be: Gingered Beef with
Leeks and Asparagus, Hoisin-Marinated Chicken with Napa Slaw, Asian
Gazpacho with Cilantro-Jicama Cream, and Wok-Flashed Salt and Pepper
Shrimp are all quick and straightforward preparations that provide big
flavors in every bite. And when it's time to pull out all the stops, a
chapter dedicated to Over-the-Top recipes will guide home cooks through an
array of showstopping dishes that dazzle with innovative techniques and
presentations. Beverage suggestions accompany each recipe to complete the
dining experience.
Filled with Ming's tips for working with unfamiliar ingredients and
preparations, Blue Ginger is an outstanding introduction to the pleasures
of East-West cooking.
From the Back
Cover
"Ming Tsai puts to rest the notion that cross-cultural cooking
is merely faddish or contrived. His is food that lingers long in the
memory and promises to become an indelible part of American
gastronomy." --John Mariani, Esquire
"No one in the country can match Mr. Tsai's virtuosity in this
idiom." --R.W. Apple, Jr., New York Times
"I'd like to try one of everything in this delicious book! The
recipes and techniques are as simple and clear as Ming's show, East Meets
West with Ming Tsai, and his text is witty and insightful. If I had to sum
this book up in one word it would be tasty." --Mario Batali
"In Ming Tsai's perfect introduction to the way of the new millennium
he creates dazzling dishes that showcase a melodious marriage of flavors
from the East and the West. This book is sure to wow your senses."
--Sam Choy
Buy
this book.
Last Updated: 10/07/01
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