We had to shelve our yearly SG trip in May due to Covid-19. That also mean that my entire list of must-try hawker food is also shelved. One of those item on the list is 叉烧烧肉饭 (Char Siu and Crispy Pork Belly Rice).
Whenever I order Char Siu rice, I like to look for the ones that are glistening with charred edges. Add some crispy pork belly and steamed choy sum, it is heavenly with a plate of jasmine rice drenched in char siu sauce 😋.
I chose pork butt roast instead of tenderloin to prepare the char siu as a little fat is needed for the tender and juicy end result.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs pork butt roast, cut into 2 inch strips
- 2 Tbsp sweet soy sauce, I use abc sauce
- 2 Tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp ground five spice
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 5 tsp minced garlic
- 5 tsp minced ginger
- 2 Tbsp red fermented bean curd (南乳)
- ¼ cup red bean curd sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp maltose
Directions
- Arrange the strips of pork butt roast in a single layer in a flat container.
- In a large bowl, combine the sweet soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, five spice, salt, minced garlic, minced ginger, red bean curd, red bean curd sauce, hoisin sauce, and maple syrup.
- Pour the sauce over the pork butt roast. Turn all the strips once to make sure all sides are evenly covered with the marinade.Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a roasting pan with parchment paper and set a wire rack on top.
- Transfer the pork butt roast from the marinade to the wire rack.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the edges are slightly charred.
- While the char siu is roasting, strain the marinade into a small sauce pan. Add a tablespoon of maltose and bring the marinade to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until the marinade is reduced to a quarter of its original volume.
- After 30 minutes of roasting, remove the char siu from the oven. Glaze the char siu generously with the marinade. Return to the oven and continue roasting for 15 minutes.
- Repeat glazing the char siu every 15 minutes until the edges are nicely charred, about 3 more times.
- When the pork is done, cool on the wire rack.
- Bring the rest of the marinade to another boil. Reserve to serve over rice.
- Slice char siu into quarter inch slices. Serve over steamed yu choy and jasmine rice.