Translate

Monday, February 6, 2012

Char Siu (Roast Pork)

Today is the 15th day in the Chinese Lunar calendar and it's the last day of the Chinese New Year.  On this day, all the Chinese single females (well, not all but some) and some single males, will throw oranges into the river or sea in the hope that someone from the opposite sex, also single, will pick it up.  It's the old Chinese tradition and belief that if someone picks the orange that you threw will be your life partner!  But of course, it's just a tradition and it brings fun to the young modern minded singles nowadays! Hmm..poor city hall laborers who will have to clean the rivers after that!

Okay, now it's foodie time!
This is my first try at making Char Siu or Roast Pork.  I made this for Chinese New Year reunion dinner for my family.  I'm proud to say that it was a success. Phew! Otherwise, a few kilos of pork belly will just go to waste.

A good Char Siu should be slightly burn as the honey or molasses caramelized and gives you the charred effect on the outside but soft and tender meat.  You can use an open grill to make this Char Siu or you can do this in the oven just like what I did.  Here's how to.

 2 or 3 strips of pork belly
some minced garlic
a little cooking oil (to oil the rack so that the pork doesn't stick to the rack)

Marinade:
5-7 tbsp of Maltose or honey (add more if you like it to be sweeter or more charred)
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp light soya sauce
4 tbsp rice wine
dashes of white pepper powder
3 tbsp of red coloring (add or reduce to your liking)
2 tbsp of five spice powder
dash of sesame oil

Mix all together and marinade the pork belly overnight together with the minced garlic.

For glazing: mix some cooking oil with honey or molasses and rice wine.

Place the rack in the center of the oven with a tray lined with aluminium foil at the bottom so that the drips will collect on the tray.  Roast the pork belly on a rack in the pre-heated oven at 200d Celsius for about 40 mins or until done.  You will need to frequently glaze the pork belly with the glazing mixture and keep turning over the pork every 10 - 15 mins.

Once done, transfer the drips collected on the tray into a saucepan and heat it up on the stove.  Add some rice wine and stir until it boils through.  Save this as the dipping sauce.



Serve with hot rice! And, HAPPY CHAP GOH MEI to all my family and Chinese friends and fellow bloggers!  If you are single, wish you will today, throw an orange and find your life partner!  Yam Seng! (err..a little tip from me, write your handphone number on the orange and throw it into the lake or pond in the golf club!..but be prepared that it may be picked up by an old rich man with pot belly and receding hairline..hmm..maybe not a good idea after all!  anyway, good luck! haahaa).


21 comments:

  1. Happy Chap Goh Mei! Char siu, yummy!
    Rich old man with pot belly and receding hairline?... pray that he is generous and not an old miser!! on the other hand, let's not waste the orange, enjoy the orange instead!! Hahahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks very professional...it's making my mouth water!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an interesting tradition throwing orange to the river to find love! Maybe people should write down what kind of people they're looking for in the orange to get a better match, such as handsome man 6 foot tall....haha!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i wonder anybody will throw a durian instead? LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That looks good ! I love that with steamed buns =)

    ReplyDelete
  6. This looks soooo delicious!! I would love it. Blessings, Catherin xo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just mouth-watering...looks appetizing and delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am drooling over your site! the food, the recipes, your photography.

    ReplyDelete
  9. this is one of those dishes that I eat with lots of rice!! It looks delicious

    ReplyDelete
  10. You did a fabulous job with this. Your recipe is perfect and will be put to good use here. I hope you have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's delicious!!!!
    My ingredient in my post are cornmeal (polenta), sausage, peas, mushrooms, spread pepperoni, minced beef veal pork...
    I suggest you try it..
    And I try your recipe!
    You can use translator on my blog!! It's better than my english!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks you All for dropping by..

    Elly, yes. I will definitely try out your recipe. Maybe I can use lamb instead of beef?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Che bel blog che ho trovato.... Complimenti per le ricette e per la qualità delle foto: trasmettono la bontà di ogni piatto!!!
    Mi sono aggiunta ai tuoi followers di google... cosi non ti perdo di vista.
    Se ti va passa a trovarmi, sei la benvenuta.
    LaMagicaZucca

    ReplyDelete
  14. looks so good, nice caramalized

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ha, I'll skip the pot bellied dude but wouldn't skip the pork! That looks awesome and one of my favorite dishes!
    Thanks for stopping by my place too..

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow...just loved the pork roast...bookmarking the recipe!

    Http://Onlyfishrecipes.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting StraitsBakes. I hope you enjoy my blog and please feel free to drop in any comments or any ideas for sharing.

Pavlova Has it been more than two years already since I've lain dormant?  Really?  Two whole years?!! Oh my... then it's about t...