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IrelandUncle Roger brings torch ginger to Mythical Kitchen's fried-rice test
Nigel Ng cooks alongside Josh Scherer before handing the judging duties to his famously exacting alter ego.
Mythical Kitchen
Story of Why this story? 919,008 views so far, and here is what is inside it.
Cheap vs Expensive Fried Rice (ft. Uncle Roger)
Video summary
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- 1:33Josh and Nigel taste Panda Express fried rice, then jokingly test its cardboard container too.
- 2:30The expensive lobster fried rice prompts a search for the lobster.
- 4:12Nigel introduces his high-heat burner and torch ginger flower.
- 13:17Nigel cooks with pork lard, cold rice, sambal belacan, MSG and crispy puffed rice.
- 22:43Josh cooks his army-stew-inspired rice with processed meats, kimchi, crushed ramen and spicy sauce.
- 28:32Uncle Roger arrives to judge all four dishes; the final verdict comes at 32:20.
Josh Scherer and Nigel Ng begin by tasting fried rice, then take a bite of its cardboard carton. Both think the Panda Express rice carries a hint of its packaging, and Mythical Kitchen isn't about to leave that comparison untested.
The expensive option doesn't escape scrutiny either. In "Cheap vs Expensive Fried Rice (ft. Uncle Roger)", they search a $38 portion from TAO for lobster and find rather less than they expected. Ng later criticizes its ginger-heavy flavor. The price difference supplies the opening question, but their own cooking becomes the substance of the episode.
Ng's key ingredient is torch ginger flower, which he calls bunga kantan in Malay. He peels the bud and builds his fried rice with pork lard, aromatics, egg, cold rice, soy sauce, sambal belacan, MSG and crispy puffed rice. The shrimp paste and flower give Scherer plenty to ask about; the high-heat burner gives them something else to manage.
Scherer takes a different route, drawing on Korean army base stew and the influence of chef Roy Choi. His version combines Spam, hot dogs, kimchi, tofu and crushed Buldak ramen, with a square of American cheese placed on top. It's a very different answer to the same rice brief.
For most of the cooking, viewers get Ng rather than Uncle Roger. Several comments pick up on that distinction, while others single out his practical response to Scherer's question about stopping something from burning: move it away from the stove.
Ng switches into his Uncle Roger persona for the final tasting. His verdict favors his own torch-ginger rice, though he also finds flavors to appreciate in Scherer's army-stew-inspired version. Neither restaurant order earns the same endorsement.
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What viewers say
I've just noticed that I've never seen Uncle Roger and Nephew Nigel in the same room together, and that's kind of suspicious.
@Phi1618033See it on YouTube"Why do you know all these facts" me listening to half the things that comes out of josh's mouth
@winnobagelSee it on YouTubeLove how rodger doesn't play a character in this. Maybe I missed the times but it's the first time I've seen him just be an honest cook and this is hilarious.
@DontDomeMeSee it on YouTube
5 more comments
You can just see Nigel Judging Josh's fried rice the entire time he's standing next to him.
@haeltacforceSee it on YouTubenigel is so funny. “i’m using a raw plant from the highway” 😭😭
@kelsielorraine5536See it on YouTubeI want an apron with that quote. "You can eat most things if you try hard enough."
@elementfortysevenSee it on YouTubeHe needs to be on Culinary crimes on Smosh!
@Beard_Monkey_23See it on YouTubeJosh just saying Philly words in the most socal accent possible
@snarkisharkSee it on YouTube
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- Channel
- Mythical Kitchen
- Subscribers
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- Channel views, last 7 days
- 22,511,799
- Channel views, pace per day
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- Video published
- November 3, 2026
- Video views so far
- 919,008 (3 days online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 251,624 (on a normal day: 340,001)
The numbers
The episode has drawn about 919,000 views since its November 3 release. Here is how its viewing and response compare with the channel's broader activity.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which flower does Nigel use in his special fried rice?
Nigel introduces torch ginger flower, also called bunga kantan in Malay, as his signature ingredient.