Ming Tsais Three Vinegar Syrup Recipes

GINGER SYRUP

Steps:

• In medium saucepan over high heat, combine 4 1/2 cups water, sugar, and ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered until syrupy and reduced by half, about 40 to 45 minutes. Strain into medium bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.

SUSHI 202

Steps:

• For the rice: Wash rice at least 3 times or until water is clear. Fill rice cooker with water to about 1-inch over rice. I highly recommend a rice cooker -- there's a reason more than 2 billion people in Asia use them. Slowly heat vinegar, mirin and sugar until very hot but not boiling. Fold in 'su' (vinegar and sugar) with the hot rice, add enough so that the rice has a tart/sweet taste. Rice should be shiny, not mushy. Carefully clean inside rim of bowl with damp cloth, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
• For the maki-sushi: In a bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, lemon juice and oil. Add crab, herbs and minced shallot. Season with salt and pepper and check flavor.
• Lay nori, shiny side down on sushi mat and lightly pat on rice on bottom half of nori, 1/4 inch thick. Place crab filling 2/3 up on rice. Roll, moisten end to seal and let rest.
• For the hand rolls: In a bowl, mix flour with togarashi, or chili powder, and whisk in club soda until a pancake batter thickness is achieved. Dip the shrimp and scallions in the tempura batter and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lay the nori vertically with the shiny side down. Using wet hands, lightly place a 1/4-inch thick layer of rice on the bottom half of the nori. Place one shrimp and scallion fan diagonally across the rice from the top left corner to the bottom right. Lay daikon sprouts on top and add a touch of wasabi oil. Roll a cone by bringing the bottom left corner of the nori to half way up the right side edge then roll over. Moisten the top edge to glue. Repeat process.
• For the plating: On a huge white platter, drizzle soy syrup, wasabi oil, sesame seeds, gari and scallions all over. Slice maki-sushi using both bias and straight cuts. Place hand rolls leaning against sushi.
• In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together wasabi, mirin and sugar. Add water until a loose puree is achieved. Whisk in oil. For extra heat, use less oil.
• Combine all the ingredients and reduce at a simmer until a syrup consistency is achieved, about a 60 to 70 percent reduction. Let cool.

MASTER SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Wash rice at least 3 times or until water is clear. Fill rice cooker with water to about 1-inch over rice or use Mt Fuji method. I highly recommend a rice cooker -- there's a reason more than 2 billion people in Asia use them. Slowly heat vinegar, mirin and sugar until very hot but not boiling. Fold in 'su' (vinegar and sugar) with the hot rice, add enough so that the rice has a tart/sweet taste. Rice should be shiny, not mushy. Carefully clean inside rim of bowl with damp cloth, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
• In a bowl, whisk together honey, mustard, lemon juice and oil. Add crab, herbs and minced shallot. Season with salt and pepper and check flavor.
• Lay nori, shiny side down on sushi mat and lightly pat on rice on bottom half of nori, 1/4 inch thick. Place crab filling 2/3 up on rice. Roll, moisten end to seal and let rest.
• In a bowl, mix flour with togarashi, or chili powder, and whisk in club soda until a pancake batter thickness is achieved. Dip the shrimp and scallions in the tempura batter and fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Lay the nori vertically with the shiny side down. Using wet hands, lightly place a 1/4-inch thick layer of rice on the bottom half of the nori. Place one shrimp and scallion fan diagonally across the rice from the top left corner to the bottom right. Lay daikon sprouts on top and add a touch of wasabi oil. Roll a cone by bringing the bottom left corner of the nori to half way up the right side edge then roll over. Moisten the top edge to glue. Repeat process.
• In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together wasabi, mirin and sugar. Add water until a loose puree is achieved. Whisk in oil. For extra heat, use less oil.
• Combine all the ingredients and reduce at a simmer until a syrup consistency is achieved, about a 60 to 70 percent reduction. Let cool.
• PLATING
• On a huge white platter, drizzle soy syrup, wasabi oil, sesame seeds, gari and scallions all over. Slice maki-sushi using both bias and straight cuts. Place hand rolls leaning against sushi. Enjoy.
• Wine Suggestion: Haru Junmai-Ginjo Sake

SAUTEED CALF'S LIVER WITH FIG-CHINESE VINEGAR SYRUP

Steps:

• Pre-heat hot a large, thick skillet. Season the liver with salt and green peppercorn. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter and sear the liver until brown on both sides, about 8-10 minutes. I prefer my liver medium. Place livers on warm plates. Place skillet back on the heat, add shallots and brown, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Add figs and sautee for 1 minute. Deglaze with the vinegars and reduce by 50%. Whisk in butter and check for seasoning. Reserve in a water bath.

MING'S BINGS

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook until the onions are a deep golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Add the shiitakes to the same pan and saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Add more oil to the pan, if needed. Add the cooked mushrooms to the bowl along with the edamame, pepitas and salt, to taste. Toss to thoroughly combine and adjust the seasoning. Allow to cool completely.
• For the yuzu emulsion: Add the shallot, yuzu juice, Dijon, palm sugar and salt and pepper to a blender; blend until smooth. Drizzle in the olive oil until thick and smooth. Adjust the seasoning.
• Add 1/3 cup filling to the middle of an egg roll wrapper with the longer side facing you. Wet the edge closest to you with egg wash or water and fold that side up over the filling. Wet the other edge furthest away from you and fold on top of the other edge, creating a seal. Fold the side pieces in towards the middle of the wrapper, resulting in a sealed rectangle. Set aside seam-side down as you repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
• Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a 14-inch cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the bings to the pan in batches of 4, and cook until evenly golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Serve the bings hot with the yuzu emulsion.

MING TSAI'S THREE-VINEGAR SYRUP

Steps:

• In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the vinegars (and star anise, if using) and bring to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer until the mixture is reduced by about 80 percent and thickly syrupy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (If using the star anise, remove it after the first 30 minutes of cooking.) To test for proper consistency, drizzle a little of the syrup on a chilled plate. It should keep its shape when the plate is tilted. Use or store in refrigerator; will keep for 4 weeks.