Char siu is my absolute favourite type of porkstuff (I may have made a mental list on the bus yesterday). Succulent, sticky, gooey, sweet and a rather appealing bright pink. It's a joyous thing that I would live on if I could. I'd walk around with sticky pink goo all over my smiling face.Usually, I can pick some up ready cooked from my local Chinese supermarket. Alas, yesterday they had run out so I was left with two options: sulk and have pasta for tea or make my own.
I made my own.
This recipe is for the marinade itself. I used a large piece of pork belly to make mine, but I think it would have been better with pork belly slices instead. They'd soaked up all that pink goodness much better. And if you don't like pork? I think this would taste just as good with chicken. This makes enough to marinade about 500g of meat.
You'll need:
- 60ml mirin (rice wine, it'll be in the Asian section of your supermarket, it's about £1.50)
- 50ml light soy sauce
- 50ml honey
- 2tbsp Hoisin sauce (yep, that stuff in a bottle is fine)
- 1tbsp sugar
- 2tsp Chinese five spice
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp crushed ginger
- four garlic cloves, sliced
Pop everything together in a bowl and mix well. Coat the meat with the sauce and leave to marinade for at least 2-3 hours. Overnight would be best, and if you have that much willpower I'll be very impressed indeed. Roast or barbecue your meat as you would, depending on the size and cut. Serve with napkins, you'll get pink gooey yum all over your face.
Flickr image from joyosity's photostream.
I hate this
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