Tim Chin is a professional cook and writer who has contributed to Serious Eats and America’s Test Kitchen. A graduate of The International Culinary Center, Tim has cooked at restaurants in New York and Boston, working at Rouge Tomate, Northern Spy, and BiSq.

Tim Chin

Is there a better example of Chinese American fast-casual food than fried rice? Not “real-deal” fried rice like some wok wizard stir-fried you a plate with perfectly separated grains of rice—we’re talking about the slightly greasy, carrot- and pea-packed mall food court standby: deeply savory, very brown, and always freaking delicious. This is our take, and we nail the flavor profile perfectly and make it better. And we get it done without using a wok—or any stir-frying at all! By using our <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/instant-wok-hei-condiment">Instant Wok Hei</a>, wok-hei-in-a-bottle condiment, there’s no need to smoke out your kitchen or fight the flames of a high-output outdoor wok burner. Just toast your rice, mix in aromatics, load it into the rice cooker (or a trusty pot), and in under an hour you’ve got a dish that scratches that Panda Express itch with just the push of a button.

Not-Fried Rice