East Meets West With Ming Tsai Season 1 Episode 4 Bean Sprouts, Family Business
- April 29, 2021
- 20 min
East Meets West With Ming Tsai is a cooking show that features Chef Ming Tsai, who reinvents traditional Asian dishes by adding his own spin to them. In season 1 episode 4, which is titled "Bean Sprouts, Family Business," Chef Ming Tsai takes viewers on a journey to explore the versatility of bean sprouts and highlights the stories of three Asian-American families who have built successful businesses around these humble ingredients.
Throughout the episode, Chef Ming showcases his culinary skills by creating a number of dishes that incorporate bean sprouts in interesting ways. He starts off by making a traditional Korean dish called bibimbap, which consists of rice, beef, and vegetables, topped with a fried egg. Chef Ming adds his own twist to the recipe by using stir-fried bean sprouts instead of the usual spinach.
Next up, Chef Ming travels to the San Francisco Bay Area to visit two brothers who run a tofu factory. They share the story of how their father started the business with just one small machine and how they have expanded and modernized it over the years. Chef Ming then creates a dish using their handmade tofu and bean sprouts.
Back in the kitchen, Chef Ming demonstrates how to make a flavorful Asian-inspired salad using bean sprouts, ginger, grapefruit, and avocado. He then takes viewers on a trip to the Philippines to visit a family-owned farm that specializes in growing mung bean sprouts. The family shares how they have combined traditional farming methods with modern technology to produce high-quality sprouts. Chef Ming incorporates the mung bean sprouts into a refreshing and vibrant dish with shrimp and a citrus dressing.
Finally, Chef Ming stops by a Korean barbecue joint in Los Angeles that is owned and operated by a family who immigrated to the United States in the 1970s. They discuss the challenges they faced when starting their business and the importance of incorporating authentic Korean flavors into their dishes. Chef Ming puts his own spin on their signature dish by topping it with a bean sprout and sesame seed salad.
Throughout "Bean Sprouts, Family Business," Chef Ming highlights the important role that family and tradition play in Asian-American cuisine. He also shows viewers how versatile and nutritious bean sprouts can be and encourages them to incorporate them into their own cooking.
Overall, "Bean Sprouts, Family Business" is a great episode for food enthusiasts looking to expand their knowledge of Asian cuisine. Chef Ming is an expert at combining traditional flavors with modern techniques, and his passion for food shines through in every dish he creates.