BLEND TRADITIONAL, COMTEMPORARY FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

When you grow up in a traditional Chinese household, celebrating the Chinese New Year with a lot of good food is a huge deal - right up there with Christmas, says Ming Tsai, co-author of the recently released ``Simply Ming,'' his second cookbook, with Arthur Boehm.

``Traditionally on Chinese New Year's day, you don't cook,'' notes Tsai, adding that his family made hundreds of dumplings - pork, shrimp, garlic chive - on the eve of the holiday that were boiled, steamed or pan-fried the next day. You also wear red to ward off evil spirits and don't work or sweep the floors so you don't sweep away the good luck that the new year will bring you.

In Eileen Yin-Fei Lo's home, it was a number that brought luck. ``Usually nine different dishes were served because the number nine is good luck,'' says the author of the new ``The Chinese Chicken Cookbook'' (her ninth cookbook).

If you want to get in the spirit and ring in the Year of the Monkey in style Thursday (the celebration continues for 15 days), offer a variety of creations shared by Tsai and Lo. Mix and match the recipes as your schedule dictates to make a simple or more elaborate meal.

``We ate whole poached chickens, which symbolize the phoenix (bird) and means rebirth and renewal,'' says Lo, whose feasts also included clams for prosperity, oysters for good business and noodles for longevity. ``We steamed Chinese sausage for good life and love forever.''

``We always ate something whole (usually a whole steamed fish) to bring wholeness and prosperity into the new year,'' continues Tsai. Sauteed green vegetables were served to signify (green) money and wealth in the new year, along with oysters with moss (Tsai's family served baked oysters or oysters on the half shell) to bring goodness and peace. Shrimp were served to signify liveliness and happiness, while raw fish salad was eaten for good luck and prosperity.

Tsai's dad always made a red roast pork butt or shoulder (with soy sauce, red wine, star anise, ginger, cinnamon and Chinese rock candy).

``The best part was the fat cap - a 2-inch piece of fat on top of the pork butt - called Chinese foie gras.'' His mother, who owned a restaurant (Mandarin Kitchen) for eight years in Dayton, Ohio, always prepared stir- fried sliced dried scallops with napa cabbage.

It's no wonder Tsai and Lo ended up in the food field.

Lo grew up in Canton and moved to this country in the late '50s. She's taught cooking classes for 25 years and become known as the ``Cantonese Julia Child.'' She also works as a restaurant consultant.

Although Tsai has a degree in mechanical engineering from Yale University, it was food, cooking and his desire to be a chef that really piqued his interest. After college and hands-on training in kitchens in Paris and Osaka for 2 1/2 years, he returned and earned a master's degree in hotel administration and hospitality marketing from Cornell University.

In 1998, he and his wife, Polly, realized his dream with the opening of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Mass., featuring his signature East- West cuisine.

``In a nutshell, it's a blending of Eastern and Western techniques and ingredients that produce a food that is most importantly bold in flavor, has contrasting textures and temperatures - and at the end of the day is inherently healthy,'' says Tsai, who was named best chef of the Northeast in 2002 by the James Beard Foundation.

Formerly on the Food Network with his Emmy-winning ``East Meets West'' show, Tsai moved to public television last fall with his new cooking show, ``Simply Ming'' (it airs locally on KCET at 11:30 a.m. Saturdays).

In his book ``Simply Ming,'' designed to be accessible to home cooks, Tsai has created 25 master sauces, pestos, salsas, dressings, rubs, etc., that can be whipped up in advance, stashed in the fridge (most will keep a week or two) or freezer and then used to quickly transform fresh ingredients into different East-West dishes.

Tsai hopes the book will inspire cooks to add their own culture and flavor.

``It is not gospel,'' he says. Add more meat or vegetables, make a sauce sweeter or spicier, or combine black bean-garlic sauce with mayo for a dip.

You'll also find Tsai's imprint at Target - in his Blue Ginger line of cookware and Asian ingredients and his new frozen stir-fry kits along with noodle and rice bowls. In March, he's launching a line of MSG-free ramen noodles (in individual bowls).

For those looking for interesting ways to cook chicken, Lo's book features 100 recipes for Chinese-style dishes adapted and streamlined for the American kitchen with historical and cultural tidbits sprinkled throughout.

Natalie Haughton, [phone]

natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com

WARM ROCK SHRIMP AND CELERY ROOT SALAD

1/2 pound mixed salad greens

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound rock shrimp, rinsed and dried OR peeled medium shrimp, cut into thirds

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

2 medium celery roots, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks

3/4 cup Five-Herb Vinaigrette

2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Divide greens among 4 plates. Heat a wok or large saute pan over high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper and stir-fry until no longer raw-looking, about 1 minute. Add green onions and celery root and stir-fry until just beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Five-Herb Vinaigrette and toss. Remove from heat, add tomatoes and correct seasoning with salt and pepper.

Place mounds of shrimp mixture on greens. Drizzle salad with remaining 1/4 cup Five-Herb Vinaigrette and serve. Makes 4 servings.

FIVE-HERB VINAIGRETTE: In a medium nonreactive bowl, combine 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup minced shallots, 1 cup rice wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons Chinese black vinegar OR balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons mirin, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons dried mint, 2 tablespoons dried cilantro, 2 tablespoons dried basil, preferably Thai, 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 2 tablespoons dried tarragon. Whisk in 2 cups grapeseed OR canola oil. Use immediately or store in refrigerator. Makes 3 1/2 cups. Lasts 2 weeks in refrigerator.

From ``Simply Ming,'' by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm.

GINGER-POACHED WHOLE CHICKEN

Based on an old Chinese method, this dish produces perfectly cooked chicken, and it couldn't be easier to do. Serve warm with crusty bread.

2 (2- to 3-pound) chickens, preferably kosher OR free-range

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled fresh ginger, cut lengthwise from a 2- to 3-inch-long piece

1 bunch green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1/2 cup packed Thai basil OR regular basil leaves

4 quarts homemade OR low-sodium canned chicken broth

2 large carrots, peeled and finely shredded

Season chickens inside and out with salt and pepper. In a pot large enough to fit chicken completely submerged in liquid, combine chickens, breast sides up, with ginger, green onions, basil and broth. Cover and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes.

Remove cover, add carrots, cover pot and remove from heat. Allow to stand 30 minutes or up to 1 hour for chicken to finish cooking. (Do not lift lid during this time or cooking heat will be dissipated. The chicken won't overcook, even if left for maximum time.) Remove chicken, carve and serve. (Strain broth, cool at room temperature and store for future use.) Makes 4 servings.

From ``Simply Ming,'' by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm.

DICED CHICKEN WRAPPED IN LETTUCE LEAVES

This is my version of a traditional wrapped dish that can be found throughout China.

1 cup 1/4-inch diced roasted chicken meat

1/4 cup 1/4-inch diced steamed black mushrooms

1/3 cup 1/4-inch diced fennel from the center of bulb

1/4 cup 1/4-inch diced and peeled fresh water chestnuts

1/4 cup 1/4-inch diced red bell pepper

2 teaspoons onion oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons Chinese white wine vinegar OR distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon Shao-Hsing wine OR sherry

6 large iceberg lettuce leaves, cut into rounds 5 inches in diameter

Put all ingredients except lettuce leaves in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Serve by spooning mixture into lettuce leaves and folding the ends to enclose the filling. Eat with your hands and serve with finger bowls. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From ``The Chinese Chicken Cookbook,'' by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo.

BEEF AND SHIITAKE SATAYS WITH MANGO SAUCE

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, cut diagonally against grain into strips 4 inches long and 1/4 inch thick

1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps halved

1 bunch green onions, white and green parts, cut into 2-inch lengths

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup red wine

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup grapeseed OR canola oil, plus 2 tablespoons for cooking, if needed

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus additional to taste

2 cups Spicy Mango Salsa

Kosher salt to taste

2 ripe mangoes, halved, for garnish (optional)

In a large bowl, combine flank steak, shiitakes, green onions, soy sauce, red wine, sugar, 1/4 cup oil and 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper. Set aside 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender, blend 2 cups Spicy Mango Salsa at high speed and drizzle in remaining 1/2 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

To make satays, thread each of 4 (4-to 5-inch) wooden skewers (soaked in water 20 minutes) with a length of green onion, either white or green part, a shiitake half, a strip of flank steak secured in an ``S'' shape, a second piece of shiitake and a second green onion length. They should touch fairly tightly.

Prepare an outdoor grill and heat to hot, or preheat a grill pan or heavy saute pan over high heat. Spray the grill grid with nonstick cooking spray, or add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to grill pan or saute pan and swirl to coat. Cook satays until meat is medium-rare, turning once, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer mango dipping sauce to an attractive bowl, arrange satays on a platter and serve with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

SPICY MANGO SALSA: In a large nonreactive bowl, combine 5 large ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice, 2 medium red onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice, 2 red jalapenos, stemmed and minced, 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons store-bought sambal OR hot pepper sauce and 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 6 to 8 limes). Blend gently. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered. Makes 6 cups. Lasts 1 to 1 1/2 weeks, refrigerated.

From ``Simply Ming,'' by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm.

LEMON NOODLES WITH CHICKEN

8 ounces dried rice noodles

3 tablespoons scallion oil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 cup 2-inch long julienne strips roasted chicken

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce

1 green onion, trimmed and finely sliced

Soak rice noodles in hot water 20 minutes. Drain through a strainer, loosen and allow to dry.

Heat a wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add scallion oil, garlic, salt and sugar and stir together briefly. Add lemon zest and stir. Add chicken and stir for a minute. Mix in noodles thoroughly; reduce heat and cook 2 minutes. Add lemon juice-Tabasco mixture and toss. When noodles are well-mixed and coated, turn off heat and add green onions. Mix well. Transfer mixture to a preheated platter and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

From ``The Chinese Chicken Cookbook,'' by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo.

HOT AND SOUR SHRIMP SOUP

1 tablespoon grapeseed OR canola oil

2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

6 green onions, green and white parts separated, sliced 1/16 inch thick

1 pound rock OR very small shrimp, rinsed, deveined and well-drained

1 teaspoon ground white pepper, plus additional, if needed

Kosher salt to taste

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

4 cups homemade OR low-sodium canned chicken broth

4 ounces silken tofu, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add ginger and white part of green onion and saute, stirring, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp and white pepper, season with salt and continue to saute 2 minutes. Add vinegar and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to incorporate caramelized bits. Add broth, bring to a simmer and correct seasoning with salt. Whisk in tofu, correct seasoning with salt and pepper, if you like, and pour into soup bowls. Garnish with green part of green onions and serve. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Simply Ming,'' by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Welcome the Chinese New Year in style

From ``Simply Ming,'' Clarkson Potter/Publishers

(2 -- color) WARM ROCK SHRIMP AND CELERY ROOT SALAD

(3 -- color) BEEF AND SHITAKE SATAYS WITH MANGO SAUCE