MING: This week on Simply Ming, one of my favorite friends and chefs, Morimoto-san, is in the house.

He's going to do two dishes, since he's an Iron Chef: a pork tonkatsu on a little cabbage salad, and an instant ramen with a whole bunch of delicious seafood.

I love the color.

Oh, that's so tasty.

I'm going to do a riff on the tonkatsu and do a portobello version-- so, vegetarian.

And we're going to start this off with a Dragon Aku-Aku tiki cocktail.

Cin-cin.

Kanpai.

MING: Kanpai, kanpai.

It's coming up right now, on Simply Ming.

♪ ♪ MING: Morimoto-san!

Hi.

MING: Nice to have you back.

Thank you, thank you.

How are you, how are you, how are you?

MING: I'm fantastic, how are you?

Good!

MING: How many restaurants do you have now?

Ah... Maybe 17.

MING: Maybe 17.

Oh, I have, oh, maybe one-- that's all I need.

One wife, one restaurant, that's all I need.

We're going to start off with a cocktail, like tradition.

A Dragon Aku-Aku.

Aku-Aku.

MING: That much ice for me.

This is a rum drink created by the tiki master, apparently.

You know that Trader Vick's?

Uh-huh.

MING: Trader Vick's, apparently, they claim they created the Mai-Tai, as well.

MING: This is called a Dragon Aku-Aku.

Two different rums.

So, we have a Guatemalan rum, and then we have this Agricole Rhum from Martinique.

This is strawberry liqueur, right, really pretty, right?

We'll do two ounces of this.

Okay.

MING: Then we add some fresh juices.

Mm-hmm.

MING: We have some lime juice.

Lime juice, yes.

MING: Which is always freshly squeezed.

Yes, that's... MING: One of that.

We have pineapple juice.

Oh, I did not see that, from here?

MING: Juice, from Hawaii.

Oh, I know-- oh, Hawaii.

MING: Two ounces of that.

And then last but not least, just one ounce of simple syrup.

Oh, simple syrup.

MING: Which is just water, sugar.

Okay?

Yes.

MING: Then, Thai basil.

So, this is a, this is a different version of the traditional, so I-- we put Thai basil instead.

Mmm.

MING: All right?

(ice rattling) (laughing): Yeah!

Yeah, shake!

MING: So, out of all your restaurants, what is your favorite?

I think, Napa.

MING: Napa?

Why?

Because it's so pretty?

Yeah-- and then... MING: Yeah, fill those up for me.

Napa is your favorite?

Yes.

MING: Yeah, what do you love to eat?

What's your favorite cuisine?

Actually, I can eat the, you know, Chinese every day.

MING: Yeah.

And the Thai food.

But, you know, so... MING: But Asian.

Asian, yeah.

MING: Yeah, me, too.

All right... You ask me, eating every day, right?

MING: That's what I like.

I like Asian, too-- Chinese.

I mean, all of us chefs, late at night, we go to Chinatown, right?

Mm-hmm.

MING: Because that's where... Because open late.

MING: Oh, my God, what a mess.

I must be nervous with you, Morimoto-san.

Oh, no, don't be.

MING: Then a little sparkling on top, just to lighten it out.

Yeah.

MING: And then we'll put a little Thai basil... Sure.

Skosh!

MING: And then this.

Dozo.

MING: Cin-cin.

Kanpai.

MING: Kanpai-- kanpai.

(chuckling) MING: Should be light.

(exhales) MING: You like?

Yeah!

MING: Okay.

I have a-- I have a challenge to you.

Because Morimoto-san is one of the highest-winning Iron Chefs ever.

Hmmm?

MING: I've never got to go against you.

You beat Bobby Flay, I beat Bobby Flay.

Choose your weapon.

(chuckles) MING: Choose your weapon.

Uh-huh.

MING: Okay.

You and I...

I challenge you!

Yes.

MING: Cucumber-slicing contest.

Okay.

MING: Ready?

Ichi, ni, san!

(speaking Japanese) He's this thick!

And then I'm this thin.

(laughter) MING: That's two!

(laughing) Okay, we're equal.

See?

I'm messy, messy, messy.

MING: Yeah, look at you, Chinese, all in a range.

All right.

All right, here we go.

Let's go-- we cook.

All right, I did not beat you-- we are even.

Let's go.

MING: You're going to make pork tonkatsu, right?

Tonkatsu, yes.

MING: And then you're going to make a ramen?

Ramen.

MING: So let's go!

Tonkatsu ramen, okay.

MING: Tonkatsu ramen, okay.

This is pork loin.

MING: Okay, two?

Then what?

Yes.

Two, you and me.

MING: Okay.

And then we cut incision here, okay.

So it sort of shrinks.

MING: Okay.

Oh, you cut it so, because it shrinks, okay.

Yeah, and then, pounding just the fat.

MING: Just the fat?

Yeah.

So, otherwise-- different cooking time, fat and meat.

So, I want to cook it same time.

MING: Oh, so you need the fat thinner, so it cooks the same as the meat.

Yes, yes, yes.

MING: Iron Chef trick number one.

No, no, no, no, no.

MING: Yeah, yeah, yeah!

And then, seasoning.

MING: Okay.

Salt.

MING: Can I do pepper?

Yeah.

MING: Okay, hai.

Awesome.

Here you go.

MING: So normal, so flour?

Flour.

MING: Right?

And then egg.

Egg.

MING: Okay.

Panko here.

MING: Panko.

Nice and coated for you.

Hai.

MING: Panko being the Japanese breadcrumb, probably the most-used breadcrumb in the world now, right?

Yep.

MING: Okay.

This is higher.

MING: 365.

365, okay.

MING: Okay.

(sizzling softly) Okay, so you-- and this one's at 2-what?

265?

2-- Yeah.

MING: Okay, so, so why the two fryers?

Okay, so, my pork is, you know, thicker.

MING: Right.

So we need time.

MING: Got it.

So, we are going to fit it and form a little bit.

A couple of minutes.

And then go into slow-cook.

MING: Okay.

So... MING: So, what, two minutes?

So, a couple of minutes, it's getting a little more darker.

MING: Okay.

And then what else do you do?

Can I do some prep work?

Can I help you... Yeah.

MING: What, how do you serve the tonkatsu?

So, I'm going to shred cabbage.

Ice water.

MING: Ice water, hai.

So, what does the ice water do?

It's a rinse, maybe, cabbage.

Usually, in Japan, tonkatsu with cabbage is very authentic combinations.

MING: Yes.

That's pretty thin.

By the way, he didn't try in the cucumber challenge.

He's very humble.

So, this just takes the rawness out?

Yeah.

MING: Right.

And then makes it a little more bit sweet.

MING: Yeah.

That's enough.

MING: Yeah.

Okay, good.

What else goes with the dish?

So, lettuce, and a tomato.

MING: Can I slice the tomato for you?

You want it Dragon?

Any, any Chinese style okay.

MING (laughing): Any Chinese style?

So, slices?

Yeah, see?

Now it's kind of coming in, and it puts different... MING: Okay, and you go... and that's the 265.

Yes, a little lower than that.

MING: Okay.

I love that trick.

Then keep cooking through.

MING: And how long do you think it will go there?

I think, this thick, maybe seven to eight minutes?

MING: Okay.

And then back to the high heat again.

MING: Oh, to... Make it crispy before serve, yes.

MING: Okay.

All right, so that's going to be another seven to eight minutes.

We'll come back, we're going to eat some tonkatsu.

Tonkatsu!

MING: Like that.

MING: So, how is that looking?

It's been seven minutes.

Seven minutes.

MING: Okay, transfer?

Okay, so now, from 265 degrees, now you're going to-- oh, God, that's pretty-- wow.

Super-hot, that's what you want, right?

Because you want to get super-crispy again.

Yeah.

MING: And then how long in that?

One minute, two minutes?

Yeah, yeah-- see?

MING: Awesome.

Make the momokara, and then you make crispy.

MING: Oh, that's beautiful.

I love that, that's a great trick.

Look at that, that is beautiful.

And it's, it's better, at least three or two, three minutes, sit like this.

MING: Okay.

Yes-- nice!

So, you're going to cut, cut the oil, easy, yes.

MING: Okay, got it.

And then I show you how to, you know... And this way.

MING: All right.

Then take the skin off.

MING: Ah!

So, in France, we call this concassé... Oh, yeah.

MING: Right, but you just do it without boiling water and ice water.

You just take off the skin.

So you throw this away and you eat the skin?

No, no, no!

(both laugh) Opposite.

MING: Opposite.

So, strain this?

Yes, please.

MING: Okay.

Hai.

Anyways?

MING: One pile?

Yep.

MING: (speaking Japanese) Okay.

Tomatoes go right here, and then, maybe lettuce here?

MING: Okay.

Here we go.

MING: Just a few leaves?

Yes.

MING: Like that?

Okay.

Dozo.

And then, everybody cross finger.

MING: Cross finger-- oh, that it's cooked?

Yes.

MING: Ah, perfect!

Nice!

MING: Okay, moist... Pork is easy to overcook.

MING: Yeah, very easy to overcook.

But we can't eat raw.

Even medium rare.

MING: Right.

So, this is the juice, see?

A lot of juice coming out... MING: Yeah.

...from inside.

MING: So, the two-temperature technique!

Yes.

MING (gasps): That looks good.

Oh, my God, look at that.

Wow!

We're going to eat this now-- we're not going to wait.

I mean, you have to eat this hot and crispy, right?

Yep.

MING: Fantastic.

That looks so good!

Then...

So, this is a, you know, special sauce I make.

MING: Okay, hang on, I'll get you a spoon here.

Then, put some of the ground sesame seed.

MING: Oh... it's just toasted, then grounded?

Yes.

MING: Okay.

So what's in this sauce?

So, this is a ketchup, and there are fresh tomatoes, molasses... MING: Molasses.

And then, a little pinch of garlic powder.

Worcester sauce.

MING: Worcestershire.

(stammering): Worcestershire sauce.

MING: It's so hard-- woost-er-shyer.

It's the hardest word to spell.

Yeah.

MING: I mean, I-- I can't spell it.

Yes.

MING: All right, we're going to eat this, right?

Yes, of course!

MING: Let's get-- you know what, let's get some chopsticks.

Any chopsticks.

MING: I'll take these.

You just can't, you can't not not eat this while it's fresh and hot.

To you!

Okay, cool.

MING: Oh, my God.

Oh!

(inaudible) (laughs) MING: What he said was, "This is so good, "because I made it next to Chinese chef Ming Tsai."

Yeah.

MING: That's what you said, right?

Yes, join us on Simply Ming.

MING (laughing): This is so good, guys.

Look how juicy this is.

I mean, look at that.

Completely juicy, fully seasoned.

This sauce is unbelievable.

Worcestershire, love it.

And do you actually have, do people actually eat that?

Mm-hmm.

MING: Or just garnish?

Mm-hmm.

MING: Good, all right.

Mmm, mmm, mmm!

Morimoto-san, great first dish.

All right, he's going to do his-- he's hungry!

He's going to do now a ramen, an instant ramen, but with super flavor.

Check it out.

Ramen!

MING: (laughs) By the way, your dish, tonkatsu... Oh, thank you.

MING (kisses air): Totemo oishii, which means "very delicious."

You know what?

I knew it.

MING: You knew it!

(both laugh) Okay, ramen king, go!

Okay.

MING: This is exciting.

So you, you're developing a ramen... You ate instant ramen a lot as a kid?

Of course.

MING: I did, too.

Everyone did, when you're young... MING: Everyone-- Chinese, American, Japanese, Korean, we all ate ramen.

There's a lot of fat, and a lot-- you know.

MING: A lot of fat.

And MSG.

MSG, yes.

MING: So, you are developing no-MSG...

Yes.

MING: And this is not fried.

Not fried, so... MING: Oh, my God.

I'd like to have one, is that okay?

We have two sauces, powder, and oil.

MING: Okay.

Okay.

You can put... MING: In the water?

You should follow the instructions here, whatever the company says.

MING: So, do, do what the package says.

Yes, yes, yes.

MING: Got it.

Okay.

MING: All right.

I'll cover it and bring it back to a boil, is that okay?

Yes, yes.

MING: Or you want to put the dry packet in?

No, no, no, no, no-- so... MING: So you put dry in?

Yes, and then, oil.

MING: Oil in this?

Yes!

MING: Okay, I can do that.

Of course.

MING: You can slice and dice.

So, you have-- so you're adding extra stuff to your ramen?

Yes-- seafood, pork, and the vegetables.

Little milk, okay.

Instant ramen make little gorgeous.

MING: Right.

So I know, ramen's booming in this country-- not just this country, everywhere, right?

MING: Yeah.

So shiitake, cabbage, and then, you know, calamari.

Oh, ay.

Ay, ay, okay.

And then, shrimp here, right?

MING: Hai.

You do exactly what I'd do, when I was in college.

Oh, yeah.

MING: Right, I would, I would always put stuff in my instant ramen.

And then, smash the garlic.

MING: Okay.

And... MING: Okay, so oil in the bowl?

Got it.

Okay.

MING: Good.

Yup.

Powder's in, that's fine.

MING: Yeah, that's okay?

Okay, a little bit of... And then this is the pork belly.

MING: Extra virgin olive oil.

But any oil works, right?

Okay.

MING: So, garlic... Ginger, ginger, and garlic.

MING: Okay.

(whooshes) MING: Nice.

(chuckling): Okay.

MING: What else?

Get that going.

Yes.

MING: That takes, what, three minutes?

Four minutes?

Package says three minutes!

Oh, what?

MING (laughing): Package says three minutes!

It depends on if you like it al dente, maybe two minutes.

Two-and-a-half, so it depends, right?

MING: So just a little garlic, little ginger.

Yes, and they're enough, you know, flavor from garlic and ginger to oil.

MING: Okay.

All right.

Then... MING: Oh, pork belly.

Yes.

MING: You're really upgrading instant ramen.

Right.

MING: (laughs) Don't call instant ramen anymore.

MING: No.

So, is this fun, doing this?

Developing stuff?

Yes.

MING: You like that?

A lot of work.

MING: Are you going to make instant sushi, too?

I don't think so.

MING: (laughs) All right, so cabbage, onions, calamari, shrimp... And then... MING: Pork belly, shiitakes.

So this is a fishcake.

MING: Oh, your fishcake, love that.

So, this is a store-bought, and it's made from fish.

I don't know, is it, did they use agar-agar, or gelatin, to make it this texture?

Yes, a little bit, I think.

I'm going to add that in there.

(sizzling) MING: Any salt and pepper, or no?

Salt and pepper, yes.

MING: Yep, okay.

And then juice from here a little bit.

MING: Nice.

Then, this is a sesame oil, a little bit.

Boop, boop, boop.

MING: Yes, sukoshi salt?

Yes.

MING: Okay-- and yes, black pepper?

Yes, yes.

MING: Okay.

(sizzling) Ah, it smells so good.

Mmm, that's enough.

MING: That's good?

Little more.

(sizzling) MING: So good.

I love it.

This is instant ramen on steroids.

Yes!

MING: How about your scallions-- may I?

Yes-- oh, yeah, yeah, scallions.

MING: Thin slice?

Thin slice.

MING: White and green?

Yeah.

MING: Hai-- in the, here?

Yeah.

MING: Okay.

Tiny cup, tiny cup, the boiled eggs.

MING: The eggs, okay.

Talk to me about these eggs.

So how did you cook these?

So, this is the boiling, from boiling water.

Actually, I cook this one, seven, seven minutes and 30 seconds.

MING: 7:30, okay.

And then, you know, simmer with the soy, sake, mirin.

It's better overnight.

MING: I love the color.

Oh, that's so tasty.

That'll do the thing for you-- hai.

(sizzling) See, no pocket in the soft-boil, right?

MING: Oh, so beautiful.

Looks so good.

This is-- I mean, literally, I've eaten, without exaggeration, probably 2,000 packets of instant ramen.

Since I was a kid, all right?

Hai.

That looks so good.

Just, on top?

Yes.

MING: Oh, that looks so good!

So, this ramen, made from the tonkatsu-- tonkatsu's the pork on the bone.

So, tonkatsu in tonkatsu.

MING: Right.

So that's today's concept, okay.

MING: Oh, very good!

Two soft-boil.

MING: Beautiful.

Nice, and then... MING: A little more sesame oil?

A little more sesame oil on top.

Not much oil.

MING: Right.

Smells so good.

(laughs) (laughing): Made in China!

Yeah, yeah.

MING: Backwards.

And then sesame seed.

Okay!

MING: That does not look like any instant ramen I've ever had.

All right.

Dozo.

Ah, looks so good.

All right, well, I have a dry cider.

Do you like cider?

Cider, yes.

MING: Because you don't-- do you drink beer anymore?

Do you like biiru?

Maybe still.

(both laugh) (laughing): This is proof of beer!

MING: So this is very low sugar, which I like.

Oh, yeah, cool.

MING: Very dry cider.

And then, no gluten?

MING: No gluten.

Show how to... MING: Oh, yeah, that's just... A spoon.

MING: Yeah, just a spoon.

We don't need bottle openers.

All the same as the... MING: Spoons or tongs.

Yes, tongs!

MING: Exactly, that shows we actually do enjoy it.

Kanpai.

Thank you, thank you much.

MING: Thank you.

What do you think, not bad, huh?

Dry?

So, to eat ramen...

Yes, with a noise.

MING: Noise.

It's-- it is not impolite... (slurps) MING: That slurp means you enjoy it.

And you have to do it because it's so hot... (slurping) Mmmm.

Mmmm.

MING: Oishii-- and it is not rude, it's actually customary to then sip it this way.

Which is why, quite often, you don't have a spoon.

Oh, this is so good.

The pork belly, different, this is the best instant ramen I've ever had in my life.

Totemo oishii, huh?

Thank you very much.

MING: Really good, oh, my God.

Have to try your egg here.

Mmm!

Morimoto-san, really.

Yeah.

MING: So good.

Wow, oh, my God-- a toast to you, my friend.

We're going to finish eating this.

Hey, can you stay?

I'm only going to do one dish, he did two.

Is that okay?

Stick around, one quick dish, boom.

MING: Again, Morimoto-san, your ramen...

Yes, sir.

MING: Oishii!

So good!

Right?

Ramen, yes.

MING: It's delicious, so...

But still, instant ramen.

MING: Still instant, it's unbelievable it's instant.

So, I'm using your same set-up, but I'm going to do a vegetarian tonkatsu, all right?

So, if you could just mince some garlic and ginger, and mince half an onion for me.

Okay.

MING: Because I'm making kind of a house rice.

So as you can see, I took the gills out, right, of the mushrooms.

So we're just going to season them up a little bit.

And flour.

Same thing as tonkatsu?

MING: Same, exact same.

So, egg and panko.

MING: So, flour makes the egg stick, right?

Right, mm-hmm.

MING: I'll keep... You should keep one hand wet and one hand dry.

Or you could use chopsticks.

There we go.

And then, this is a great way to enjoy a vegetarian dish, but has the lusciousness of the tonkatsu technique.

And then on the house rice, we're going to add some of your favorite flavors, I believe, togarashi and furikake.

Yeah, okay.

MING: Which goes really well with tonkatsu.

Portobello tonkatsu, that is.

All right, so then, coat this well.

Using a half onion, right?

MING: This half.

Perfect.

So now, here-- straight in.

So, what's the temperature?

MING: Cranked all the way-- three, 350.

All right, so I'm going to make some fried rice here.

So this is grapeseed oil.

A good amount, but don't, don't worry about that, guys, because we're going to drain this.

That's some good mince!

All right, look at these, look how good these look already.

That's only three minutes.

G, B, and D. Nice color.

MING: Yeah, right?

Oh, look at those babies.

So, I'm going to do is, do fried scrambled eggs.

I'm going to add Worcestershire sauce.

Okay, Worcestershire sauce.

MING: Worcestershire sauce.

(laughs) MING: And a little bit of salt.

And we're going to fry these, this is the base of a scrambled egg, or a scrambled egg for the fried rice.

Right, you want that-- you want to hear that sizzle, right.

Because that's what gets the eggs nice and fluffy.

And now, there's a good amount of oil, I have grapeseed oil in here, about a quarter-cup.

But we're not going to eat all that, all right, because we're going to drain it.

Okay, Mori-san, I'll take everything, please.

All this?

MING: Yep, all of it.

Everything?

MING: Yep, garlic, ginger, and onions.

Hai, dozo.

Hai, thank you.

All right.

Just cook this for probably about a minute.

Do me a favor, Morimoto-san, slice the portobellos.

This way?

MING: Yeah, this way.

A little bias, yeah.

Present it like it's meat.

So, just a touch more Worcestershire, just a little bit, and like you, a little sesame oil.

Mm-hmm.

MING: Just a touch.

Like that.

Then, hot rice.

Hot rice.

MING: That's how they make...

I always thought you used dry rice, but hot rice makes a fluffier fried rice.

And this is house rice, which I do 50/50 brown and white.

So I soaked the brown rice for one hour, in water, and then I combine it with the white rice and I cook them together.

Uh-huh, soak in what, one hour?

MING: One hour, brown by itself.

Then, we'll just mix this up.

And we'll be good to go.

Let's see how we did, here.

Add some more seasoning.

A little salt, a little more pepper, too, please.

Chinese, this is Chinese.

MING: You thought it was electric?

Yes, yes.

MING: Okay.

Fantastic, so, I'm going to go ahead and plate this up.

See how fluffy that rice is?

Morimoto-san... Huh?

MING: See how fluffy?

And if you please, lay that on top.

On top?

MING: Fantastic.

I'll do the same.

So, this is more like donburi.

So, in Japan, donburi is a rice-based, right?

Yes.

MING: That has-- traditionally, it's with pork, right?

Pork donburi?

Yeah... yeah.

MING: But-- and they put egg in it, too, right?

Yes.

MING: So this is togarashi, which is a spicy Japanese spice, which I love, and then a little furikake... Oh, furikake.

MING: Which is ground seaweed with sesame seeds.

Just a little bit-- hai.

Simple.

Simple.

MING: Come with me.

Okay.

I have-- you have chopsticks.

MING: I have chopsticks.

Dozo.

Hai, thank you.

MING: For you.

Let's see how we did.

Okay.

MING: And again, in China and Japan, you can put the bowl to your mouth-- it's not considered rude.

Mmm, mmm.

MING: Pretty simple, huh?

So, a super-simple dish, and if you don't want-- like mushrooms, do it with zucchini, squash blossoms, even, even big old pieces like rutabaga and jicama.

Any type of vegetable can fry up.

It looks like tonkatsu.

MING: Yeah, good, right?

Right.

MING: Tastes like pork.

But the rice, using the hot rice, makes it extra-fluffy.

Right, right.

MING: Fill it up.

Next time, you cook three dishes.

You cook two, I cook one.

But that's why you're an Iron Chef.

Yes.

MING: Arigato gozaimashita.

Thank you so much for everything.

And arigato gozaimashita.

That's domo arigato, which is thank you very much.

And as always, peace, and good eating.

Peace!

MING: Peace!

Good eating.