Cryptic crossword clue
Like chow mein from the can, not new in China 4-5

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word STIR-FRIED

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Like chow mein" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case like chow mein = stir-fried.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does STIR-FRIED mean?

STIR-FRIED adjective
  1. That has been cooked by stir-frying.
STIR-FRIED verb
  1. To fry quickly in hot oil whilst constantly stirring, especially in a wok or similar pan.

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