Ming Tsai's Special Birthday Recipes for Whoopi

What's a birthday celebration without the perfect meal? Today Whoopi invited Ming Tsai, one of her favorite chefs, to come and cook up a special gourmet meal for her and the co-hosts to dig into. And we've got the recipes! Scroll down for foodie-tastic chow mein, pot stickers and pork fried rice.

Chicken and Tri-Bell Pepper Chow Mein (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound fresh or dried chow mein or Shanghai noodles
• Kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons grape seed or canola oil, plus more for coating the noodles
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, brined*, cut across the width into 1/3-inch strips 
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1/4 cup Wan Ja Shan naturally brewed soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• Juice of 2 limes
• 3 small bell peppers, red, green, and yellow, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, for drizzling

Directions:

1. Fill a large bowl with water and add ice cubes. In a wok, cook the noodles in abundant, boiling, salted water until al dente -- 3 minutes if fresh, 8-10 minutes if dried. Drain and transfer the noodles to the ice water. When cold, drain, transfer to a plate, coat lightly with oil, and set aside.

2. Drain the wok, dry it, and heat over high heat. Add 4 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the wok, swirl, and when hot, add the garlic, ginger and scallions. Stir-fry until soft, about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, deglaze the wok, and add the honey and lime juice. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by one quarter, about 30 seconds. Return the chicken with any juice in the plate to the wok and add the peppers. Toss, add the noodles, and heat through, about 2 minutes.

4. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with the sesame oil, and serve.

Pork and Ginger Pot Stickers (Makes 20-25 Pot Stickers)

Ingredients:

• 4 cups finely chopped napa cabbage
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 pound ground pork (not too lean)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 package pot sticker wrappers
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:

1. To make the filling, combine the cabbage and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt in a large bowl and toss together; set aside for 30 minutes. Transfer the cabbage to a clean dish towel or cheesecloth, gather the ends of the cloth together, and twist to squeeze as much water as possible from the cabbage (this will make the filling more cohesive). In a second large bowl, combine the cabbage with the pork, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and egg and mix.

2. To fill the pot stickers, place about 1/2 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each wrapper. Avoid getting filling on the edges of the wrapper, which would prevent proper sealing. Fold each wrapper in half to form a half-moon shape. Seal the top center of each dumpling by pressing between the fingers and, starting at the center, make 3 pleats, working toward the bottom right. Repeat, working toward the bottom left corner. Press the dumplings down gently on the work surface to flatten the bottoms.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat. When the oil shimmers, add the pot stickers, flattened bottoms down, in rows of five, and cook in batches without disturbing until brown, about 6 minutes. Add about 1/2 cup of water and immediately cover to avoid splattering. Lift the cover and make sure about 1/8 inch of water remains in the pan; if not, add a bit more. Steam until the pot stickers are puffy yet firm and the water has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. If the water evaporates before the pot stickers are done, add more in 1/4-cup increments. If the pot stickers seem done but water remains in the pan, drain it and return the pan to the stovetop.

4. Continue to cook over high heat to allow the pot stickers to recrisp on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pot stickers to a platter and serve with a dipping sauce.

Three Chile Dipping Sauce (Makes About 1 Cup)

Ingredients:

• 4-5 Thai bird chiles
• 3/4 cup Wan Ja Shan soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Wan Ja Shan rice wine vinegar
• 1-2 serrano chiles, minced
• 1-2 red jalapenos, minced
• 1-2 green jalapenos, minced

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place Thai bird chiles on a cookie sheet and toast in oven for about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce and rice vinegar. Add toasted Thai bird chiles, cover and let marinate in fridge overnight. (2 days is ideal if you have the time.) When ready to use, add serrano and jalapenos, spoon into dipping bowls and serve.

Chicken Salad Chinoise (Serves 8, Family Style)

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