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).