Siu Mei (燒味拼盤)

Siu mei — Cantonese roasted and glazed meats — is the hallmark of Hong Kong's roast meat shops, where ducks, pork bellies, and chickens hang lacquered and glistening in the window. This home version focuses on two siu mei classics served as a dinner-party sharing platter: char siu (honey-glazed BBQ pork) and crispy-skin pork belly, a combination that captures the full glory of the tradition.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Char Siu (BBQ Pork):

• 600g (1.3 lb) pork shoulder or neck, cut into 3cm (1.2 in) thick strips
• 3 tbsp (45ml) hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp (30ml) oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp (30ml) soy sauce
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• Red fermented tofu (nam yue), 1 tbsp — optional but traditional

Siu Yuk (Crispy Pork Belly):

• 600g (1.3 lb) pork belly, skin on, scored
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp white rice vinegar (for skin)
• Coarse salt (to pack onto skin)

Instructions

1. Marinate char siu: combine all marinade ingredients, coat pork strips, and refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours.
2. Prepare siu yuk: rub flesh side of pork belly with five-spice, salt, and pepper. Pat skin completely dry. Brush with rice vinegar and pack a generous layer of coarse salt on the skin. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
3. Siu Yuk: Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Brush salt off skin. Place pork belly skin-side up on a rack. Roast 25 minutes at high heat until skin blisters and crackles. Reduce to 180°C (350°F) and roast 20 more minutes.
4. Char Siu: Grill pork strips over charcoal or under a broiler at 230°C (450°F), basting with marinade every 5 minutes for 20-25 minutes, turning once. Brush with honey for the final 3 minutes to achieve the signature lacquered glaze.
5. Rest both meats 10 minutes. Slice siu yuk into strips, keeping crackling intact. Slice char siu across the grain.
6. Arrange both meats on a wooden board with steamed rice, sliced cucumbers, and plum dipping sauce.

Cook's Notes: Overnight drying of the siu yuk skin is the single most important step for crackling. The red fermented tofu gives char siu its signature reddish hue and complex flavour — find it at any Chinese supermarket. Serve immediately while crackling is at its peak.