Miley Cyrus' Absolutely Unhinged Panda Express Order

It's true that Panda Express changed American Chinese food forever, and if you've never tried its signature orange chicken, you're missing out. While the food needs no help being delicious, regulars know how to get the most out of the experience with upgrades and customizations. For instance, the large plate is a better deal than the bowl, and you can order delivery through the chain's app or website rather than a third party to save money. But of all the Panda Express menu hacks ever shared, Miley Cyrus' is the most unexpected.

Cyrus shared her old go-to order on the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special," as she and co-star Emily Osment would eat Panda Express after shoots. "I did something really gnarly," the former Disney Channel icon revealed. "My favorite thing to get at Panda Express was the white rice and pour Diet Coke on top instead of soy sauce. It's a whole thing." Her justification? "I am from the South in a way that it's really hard to describe," she added.

While Cyrus is indeed from Tennessee, this doesn't appear to be a Southern thing. Some folks in the U.S. report seeing cola used in fried rice (particularly for Japanese hibachi), and Latinos may be familiar with Colombian Coca-Cola rice, a celebratory side that uses full-sugar cola instead of water as cooking liquid. However, using Diet Coke in place of soy sauce seems to be Cyrus's preference rather than a regional tradition. It's certainly in line with her reportedly simple palate — even her godmother, Dolly Parton, called her cooking tasteless.

Despite their stark differences, Miley Cyrus prefers Diet Coke instead of soy sauce. Soy sauce is intensely salty, savory, and umami rich, while Cola, by contrast, is bright, refreshing, and crisp (not to mention carbonated) with a citrusy, caramelized profile. However, cooked soy sauce has a rounder flavor due to its caramelization, so something like cola fried rice likely makes the ingredients closer in flavor than Cyrus's application.

Of course, Southerners online also weighed in on Cyrus' order. "As a Southerner, I have never heard of this. I'll take soy sauce!" said one user on Facebook. "I'm from Mississippi, am 54, and have never heard of that from any ethnicity," added another. Alternatively, some say the hack is legit. "My Korean grandfather told me that's what he used to do," alleged another on Instagram. Another pondered, "I could see this working as a sweet-and-spicy fried rice kinda thing?"

To take Cyrus's menu hack further, try cooking white rice in Diet Coke, à la Colombian Coca-Cola rice. The lack of sugar will have an impact. While it can be done with Diet Coke or Coke Zero, but the sugar is key to the rice's glazed exterior, sweet flavor, and pleasant stickiness. If you don't have full-sugar cola, adjust the Diet Coke-infused results with sugar or soy sauce to taste.