Unparalleled Passion Behind that Stunning Roast
Char siu and Sunshine
In some cities, half the population seems to cook for the other half.
Ovens roaring, stovetops steaming, eating is an unapologetic passion in Hong Kong. One of the most distinctive, down-to-earth culinary darlings loved across all strata in Hong Kong is char siu, pork barbecued the Cantonese way that only Cantonese can. This succulent piece of meat boasts of the same root in neighboring little Macau, the Creative City of Gastronomy.
Layer on the marinade! Soya sauce, garlic, fermented red beancurd, 5-spices, anise, malt syrup, hoi-sin sauce, honey, rice wine, to name several secret ingredients. Master roasters roast the strips to mouthwatering perfection with blackened, caramelized edges.
Back in the last millenium, allegedly only a few centralized char siu vendors supplied to the entire population of 6 million then in Hong Kong.
Give me that honey-dripping piece of meat!
It’s what the working class daddy brings home on payday or pay raise. It’s what the dispirited office-goer, the hungry construction worker, and the nostalgic business mogul would go for. ’Twas what brought gratification to the impoverished yet energetic post-WWII society.
Now, despite past centuries of Portuguese rule in Macau, the native sweet and savory char siu tradition thrives. This is the one item that calls for professionalism. Little home ovens won’t do the job.
I’ve tried it in some Chinatowns’ regular joints and upscale Chinese eateries in other global cities. No way do they match this iconic brick-red version. No, not your normal barbecued pork. Char siu made it to the Oxford dictionary in 2016.
Is that the sound of juicy pork crackling in the roast pit? Prestigious and serious restaurants barbecue their own on the property today. Pork shoulders make the best cut. Some celebrity chefs like the trendy Spanish Iberico pork for its finely marbled, elegant tenderness. Others choose local Cantonese pork for a more intense flavor and bite. Whatever the pork choice, diners remember the tasty mouthful that goes right to the heart, way back when it was, now and forever.
Celebrate it with essences of the land and sunshine. Rice wine or red tea. Can’t go wrong.
© Pseu Pending (Seu) 2021
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