ROASTED PORK BELLY (CHAR SIU) IN CHINA TOWN

Funny title isn't it? Isn't it far much easier to call it Char Siu instead of "Roasted Pork Belly in China Town"? Anyway, this was the third time I attempt on the recipe of this book below following my energy draining Herbal Roasted Duck and my highly successful Crispy Roast Pork!


First of all, this was a recipe all-gone-wrong. I am posting this up so that experts out there could provide me with some tips, and if possible, to share with me a good recipe for making tasty Char Siu.

The recipe calls for 1kg of pork belly. After informing my trusted butcher that I want a good piece of pork belly for making Char Siu, he assured me that he will choose a nice cut for me. I was eyeing for those with several layers of fats and meat but he told me the one he chose was the most perfect for making Char Siu. I wasn't too satisfy with the cut but I shouldn't argue with the expert, right? WRONG! The piece I bought was a huge chunky piece of meat with only one layer of fats on top with the skin removed. Anyway, I have already boycott my used-to-be trusted butcher!!


For the marinade, the ingredients are:
2 pieces of Nam Yue (red fermented beancurd)
1 tbsp malt sugar
150g caster sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp five spices powder
1 tbsp "Shaoxing" wine
Few drops of red food colouring

Mix the marinade ingredients well until the sugar is completely dissolved. I wonder if 5 spices powder necessary as I find the end result tasted weird due to the five spices powder taste.


Mix well over pork belly and add in about 2 tbsp of chopped garlic. I used crushed garlic pip instead so that it is easier to remove before roasting. Marinade it overnight.


Arrange the marinated pork on the roasting wire rack, roast in a preheated oven at 200 degree Celcius for 15 minutes. Dish out, dip the pork belly with some marinade sauce. Continue to roast for further 20 -30 minutes until cooked thoroughly. Dish out. Bring the remaining marinade sauce to boil. Cook until the sauce thicken, remove from heat and pour over the roasted pork belly or serve it separately.


The meat was a bit dry. Too lean, hence tough! Tastewise, it wasn't what I expected. It doesn't taste anything familiar to me, especially when I could taste the strong five spices powder. I really wonder if this is the way they serve Char Siu in China Town aka Petaling Street. I am not giving up! I shall attempt this again but before that, I would need to do some more research on the marinade sauce. Anyway, do you any great Char Siu recipe to share??