Char Siu

Char siu — Cantonese barbecued pork — is one of the defining flavours of Guangdong cooking and the Hong Kong street food universe. The name means 'fork roasted,' a reference to the long forks on which strips of pork were hung and roasted over wood fires in traditional siu mei (roast meat) shops. The marinade is a careful balance of soy sauce, hoisin, rose wine (mei kuei lu chiew), fermented red tofu, and honey, producing meat that is simultaneously savoury, sweet, and lacquered to a deep red-amber gloss.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 900g (2 lb) boneless pork shoulder or pork neck, cut into strips 4–5cm (1.5–2 inches) wide

Marinade:

• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp honey, plus extra for glazing
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 cube (about 30g / 1 oz) red fermented tofu (nan ru), mashed to a paste
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 0.5 tsp white pepper
• 2–3 drops red food colouring (traditional, optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all marinade ingredients. Reserve 3 tablespoons of marinade for glazing. Coat pork strips thoroughly in remaining marinade, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 230°C (450°F). Place a wire rack over a foil-lined roasting pan half-filled with water (the water prevents burning and keeps meat moist).
3. Lay pork strips on the rack. Roast 15 minutes, flip, and roast another 10 minutes.
4. Brush reserved marinade mixed with an extra tablespoon of honey over all surfaces. Return to oven under the grill/broiler for 3–5 minutes until the glaze caramelises and chars at the edges.
5. Rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve over rice or with steamed buns.

Cook's Notes: Red fermented tofu (nan ru) is the ingredient that gives authentic char siu its distinctive flavour and colour — do not skip it. Find it jarred at any Chinese grocery. Char siu freezes well sliced; reheat in a pan with a splash of water.