Hot Water Dough, one of the essentials in Chinese cuisine, is just as useful in the American kitchen. Ming is joined by the authority on Hot Water Dough — his mother Iris Tsai — and uses this versatile dough as the inspiration to create four very different hors d'oeuvres (ranging from classic pot stickers to a savory fried dough). Ming's version of one of the most popular appetizers in Chinese restaurants, Pork and Shrimp Pot Stickers, features a mouth-watering combination of diced shrimp, soy, scallion, ginger and pork in a Hot Water Dough wrapper. He then updates the traditional Italian dish of fried raviolis with his Crispy Lemon-Crab version. In this dish, the flavors of freshly picked crabmeat meld perfectly with scallions, honey, and jicama and the dish is served up a crispy golden brown with a lemony vinaigrette. For a simple but delicious treat, Fried Dough with Garlic — the savory version of the familiar sweet dough — becomes slightly caramelized when folded with scallions and a touch of sugar. Out of the fryer, the dough is immediately sprinkled with salt and rubbed with fresh garlic. Guest chef Iris Tsai serves her Xien Bing, delectable dumplings filled with a mixture of ground chicken, mushrooms, garlic and ginger.
