Why stir

I love stir-fried meals. Whenever I’m in a Chinese restaurant, I ask to go back to the kitchen and watch an expert chef prepare the meal. In some restaurants, the cooking is done on stoves or open charcoal pits right out front in sight of delighted diners. It is like seeing a carefully-orchestrated ballet performance, followed by a delicious encore.

With all the meats and veggies pre-cut, usually accompanied by great flourishes, chopping and tossing, he (or she) heats up the round-bottomed wok. After adding the very small amount of oil … peanut or corn or sesame or whatever … and when it starts to smoke a bit, all the ingredients are ceremoniously combined with more style and precise moves. After a minute of furious stirring, and never more than two minutes, the al dente cooked meal is poured onto the diner’s plate in a cloud of steam and more dance moves.

This Chinese cooking method preserves all the healthy vitamins and other ingredients of the food, unlike Western methods that boil or fry them away. I now have my own wok and prepare my Chinese meals for friends and family whenever the occasion arises for friendly and enjoyable meals. I’ve tried outdoor barbeques and have attended many, but they are the exact opposite of wok cooking, which is infinitely more healthy for attaining low-fat food styles.

How did I get started in wok cooking? You won’t believe it, but it’s true. As World War II was winding down, I was on Navy shore duty in the newly-recaptured Manila, capital city of the Philippines. Our group of sailors was invited to attend an Army USO performance. The star was Danny Kaye, at the time a big movie and Broadway star. Although mostly forgotten today, his fantastic singing, dancing and comedy talent were very popular.

His show was very entertaining to the war-weary GIs. Of course, the chorus girls who danced on stage with Danny had a bit to do with the thunderous applause and cheers. As the show wound down, Danny jumped into the audience and invited a dozen GIs and sailors to join him for dinner that night at his Manila Hotel suite, just below the penthouse floor occupied by General MacArthur.

I was one of the fortunate guys invited, and looked forward to my first elegant, non-K ration food dinner in many months. When I arrived with the other sailors, I saw Danny himself in an apron preparing the meal. On closer inspection, I could see he was using a strange, circular fry pan and tossing ingredients around like the dervish dancer he was. Disappointed that I wouldn’t get a good American steak, I took his invitation and sat down to Danny’s personally cooked Chinese wok dinner.

I don’t know where he got all the fresh ingredients, meats and shell fish in war-devastated Manila, but his meal was absolutely fabulous. That was the moment my love for stir-fried Chinese food began. Thanks, Danny!