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Char Siu — traditional dish from Guangdong, China
Main course Meat

Food Flavour DNA

Nutritional Values

🔥430kcal
💪40gProtein
🌾12gCarbs
🥑25gFat
🌿—Fibre
⚖️200 gServing

* Per serving · 200 g. May vary.

Allergens

🫘 Soy

Char Siu

How to order / say it
Say it 叉燒 — [Cha siu]
Order I'll have the char siu, please.
Locally 我要叉燒，謝謝。
Say locally

Sweet and savory Cantonese-style barbecued pork.

Why try it?

Char Siu is quintessentially Hong Kong, representing the city's prowess in creating savory, aromatic, and glaze-rich roasted meats. It's a symbol of Cantonese barbecue and is enjoyed in everything from rice dishes to simply on its own.

How it tastes

The pork is marinated in a distinctive mix of honey, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and spices, resulting in a tender, sweet, and tangy flavor with a caramelized crust.

Origin & History — first documented: 1800

Emerging from Cantonese culinary practices during the Guangdong province’s Qing Dynasty, char siu's popularity spread to Hong Kong where it became a beloved form of Cantonese barbecue in the early 1900s.

Recipe

Ingredients

  • 🥩 500 g pork shoulder
  • 🥣 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 🥣 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 🍯 2 tbsp honey
  • 🧂 1 tsp five spice powder
  • 🍷 1 tbsp rice wine
  • 🧄 10 g garlic

Method

  1. 1 Marinate pork in a mixture of hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, and five spice powder.
  2. 2 Allow pork to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  3. 3 Roast in a hot oven, basting with marinade until caramelized.
  4. 4 Slice thinly and serve hot or cold.

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All Asia recipes — China — Hong Kong — Char Siu
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