Because a good pan can make a world of difference.
For more than 20 years, Chef Ming Tsai has been wowing diners with his unique brand of East-West fusion cuisine. He had culinary training in Paris and Japan, then opened his first restaurant Blue Ginger in Wellesley, MA, in 1998. He soon shot to restaurant-world stardom, and started hosting his ultra-beloved public TV cooking show, Simply Ming, in 2003.
Ming closed Blue Ginger in 2017 to pursue other opportunities, but those plans were sidelined just a few months later when his wife, Polly, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer — despite being a healthy non-smoker. Polly, who’s now in remission, switched to a vegan diet after her diagnosis, to decrease inflammation. And Ming quickly recognized a gap in the market for ready-made, high-quality vegan meals that actually tasted good. Thus, MingsBings was born.
Bings are a traditional Chinese flatbread that’s often stuffed with pork, duck, or scallions. But Ming decided to give it a rebrand, turning it into a veggie-centric snack. MingsBings come in flavors like buffalo cauliflower, cheeseburger, and fiesta, meaning they’re far from the taste-free, cardboard-esque veggie patties you might be used to. (Plus, they’re nut- and gluten-free, for all the allergy sufferers out there.) And a portion of the proceeds go to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Family Reach, and the Jimmy Fund, to support cancer patients and their families.
Read on for Chef’s favorite kitchen tools, and a fresh and easy summer recipe incorporating — you guessed it — MingsBings.
Want to cook like Ming? Or, at the very least, try the tools he uses to crank out his culinary masterpieces? Here’s what he relies on in the kitchen:
Chef Ming Tsai’s Must-Have Kitchen Tools
Korin knives and wet stones
“I love Korin knives: They’re beautifully crafted and last forever. The Kyocera ceramic steel is great for sharpening your knives and a leather honing strap is also incredible. Both do such a good job at getting the right edge on the blade. Sharp knives are key in any kitchen, and learning how to sharpen them is also key. The wet stones from Korin plus the leather strap help to maintain the blade’s edge.”
Kyocera 2-way thin mandolin
“I love using this for cucumbers, celery, carrots, and truffles! It creates super uniform slices. Try the full set to handle different types of slicing.”
Corn Peeler
“I love fresh corn. This tool is so easy to use and it works so well, it makes prepping corn so much simpler.”
Cast-iron pan
“One of my favorite pans is my cast-iron — I’ve had it for over 20 years. Once it’s well-seasoned, you don’t need any fat to cook in it and it’s so versatile. Fry up some eggs, cook a fish fillet or a steak, sauté veggies, make pancakes, bake a frittata, and do a large format chocolate chip cookie topped with ice cream at the end of the meal. You name it, you can make it in this pan.”
Classic fish spatula
“How do you flip fish easily without damaging it? The classic fish spatula. It’s key in any kitchen: use it to flip fish, pancakes, veggies. It’s the best spatula to have on hand and best for flipping food without breaking it.”
And if you’re itching to put some of those tools to good use, try this simple, fresh, couldn’t-be-easier dinner:
MingsBings Dim Sum Dipper and Asian Slaw
MingsBings with Dim Sum Dipper
1 package MingsBings
¼ cup tamari
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons Sambal (or your favorite hot sauce)
½ bunch scallion greens, thinly sliced
1. Place frozen Bings in a cast-iron pan and cook for 12-14 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Do not adjust the Bing – this allows the oil to render into the pan, creating a crunchy wrapper. Use the fish spatula to remove.
2. Now it’s time to make the dipping sauce: Mix the tamari, rice wine vinegar, sambal, and scallion greens together until well-combined. Set aside or in the refrigerator or until you are ready to use and serve.
Asian Slaw
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 whole lemon, zest, and juice (use the rasp for this)
Kosher salt and black pepper
1. Cut the cabbage into quarters. Starting on the corner, slice very thinly to shave it. Measure 2 cups and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, zest and juice of lemon and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, then toss in the cabbage and scallions. Mix well. Serve with your Bings and the dim sum dipper sauce.
