Buddy Hackett's Chinese-y Thing

On KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #196: Old Hats New Tricks we learned how to cook "Lucille Ball's Chinese-y Thing".

It was essentially some beef stir fry.

We also heard about Buddy Hackett's woefully politically incorrect Chinese Waiter character.

Buddy Hackett had a long career playing many, many notable characters. You may have seen him voice Scuttle in The Little Mermaid or his cameo in Scrooged.

Buddy was most successful doing stand up and his numerous appearances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. It has been claimed that he appeared on there more than anyone else.

Here is one of Buddy's routines as "The Chinese Waiter". Obviously, this kind of racial comedy wouldn't fly today and often it's hard to even find outdated racial humor funny in modern times.

Still, in it's time, this was a very popular album. Take a listen:


The recipe Ken read from the Dead Celebrity Cookbook was originally published in the Celebrity Cookbook column, St. Petersburg, FL - Evening Independent newspaper, May 30, 1968.


Buddy Hackett's Chinese Chili

1 tbsp safflower (cooking) oil
3 lbs lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 large green (Bell) pepper, diced
1/2 clove garlic, pressed
2 cubes vegetable broth (bouillon)
1/4 cup boiling water
2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste
3 1/2 cups water (about)
1 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp (scant) crushed red peppers
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 1/2 cups sliced (canned) water chestnuts
Large handful Asian dried mushrooms, optional
3 (16 oz) cans Chinese bean sprouts, drained
Serve over Steamed rice, noodles or corn

Heat safflower oil in large skillet. Add ground beef, onion,
green (Bell) pepper and garlic. Cook over medium head stirring
until meat turns brown and is crumbly in appearance. Pour off excess fat.

Place meat mixture in large, deep stock pot.
Dissolve vegetable cubes in boiling 1/4 cup of water, add to the pot with
tomato paste, 3 1/2 cups water, soy sauce, oregano, chili powder, red pepper,
salt, white pepper and water chestnuts.

Cook over low fire about 45 minutes; stir often to prevent burning.

Meanwhile, soak dried mushrooms in lukewarm water about 30 minutes.
Drain off water, squeeze out excess fluid, slice mushrooms thinly,
add to chili. Gradually add bean sprouts (which have been carefully
rinsed in cold water to remove canned taste). Heat through.

Serve at once over steaming cooked white rice, dry noodles or corn.

Serve with tall glasses of cold jasmine tea.

Serves 8 generously.