Hong Kong Char Siu 港式叉燒

Name: Hong Kong Char Siu 港式叉燒
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 500 g pork scotch roast, such as Coles Pork Slow Cook Scotch Roast 梅頭肉; 2 tbsp brown sugar 啡糖; 1 tbsp hoisin sauce 海鮮醬; 1 tbsp oyster sauce 蠔油; 0.5 tbsp Chu Hou sauce 柱侯醬; 1.5 tbsp rose wine 玫瑰露酒; 2 pieces red fermented bean curd 南乳; 1 clove garlic, minced 蒜蓉; 2 tsp salt 鹽; 1/2 tsp five-spice powder 五香粉; 1 tbsp maltose 麥芽糖; 1 tbsp hot water 熱水

Sumter Kitchen April 10, 2024

Servings: 2

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Classic Hong Kong-style char siu, marinated with nam yu and finished with a glossy maltose glaze and lightly charred edges. 經典港式叉燒，用南乳醃製，再掃上麥芽糖焗至油亮紅潤、邊位微焦。

Introduction 簡介

Char siu is one of the defining dishes of Cantonese siu mei — the roasted meats that hang in the windows of shops across Guangdong and Hong Kong. The name char siu literally means “fork-roasted”, referring to the traditional method of skewering long strips of pork on forks and roasting them over heat. Over generations, char siu developed its familiar balance of sweet and savoury flavours, a glossy glaze and caramelised, lightly charred edges. In Hong Kong, it became both an everyday comfort food and a measure of a good roast-meat shop.^[1]

叉燒係廣東燒味入面最具代表性嘅菜式之一，廣東同香港嘅燒味店櫥窗都經常見到一條條叉燒掛住。「叉燒」個名有「用叉燒製」嘅意思，源自以前將長條豬肉用叉穿起，再放喺火上烤熟嘅做法。經過一代代演變，廣東叉燒形成咗今日熟悉嘅甜中帶鹹風味、油亮蜜汁同帶少少焦香嘅邊位。喺香港，叉燒既係日常嘅地道滋味，亦係考驗一間燒味店功架嘅招牌菜。^[1]

The simplest way to enjoy it is char siu rice: sliced char siu served over steamed rice with a little soy sauce or roast-meat sauce, sometimes accompanied by Asian greens. Another familiar variation adds a fried egg. Many Cantonese speakers know this combination as 黯然銷魂飯, or “Sorrowful Rice,” from Stephen Chow’s 1996 Hong Kong film The God of Cookery. The version in the film also includes one additional ingredient: finely chopped onion.^[2]^[3]

叉燒最簡單嘅食法就係叉燒飯：將叉燒切片鋪喺白飯上面，加少少豉油或者燒味汁，有時再配青菜。另一個常見嘅食法係加煎蛋。好多講廣東話嘅人都知道呢個組合叫做黯然銷魂飯，英文係「Sorrowful Rice」，個名來自周星馳1996年香港電影《食神》。電影入面嘅版本仲加咗一樣材料：切碎嘅洋蔥。^[2]^[3]

Hong Kong char siu is commonly made with 梅頭肉. Pork is butchered differently around the world, so the names and exact boundaries of cuts vary. In Australia, the closest equivalent is pork scotch roast, taken from the collar at the top of the shoulder, close to the neck. You may also come across the term Boston butt—an American cut from roughly the same upper-shoulder area, although it is prepared to a different specification. This recipe uses Coles Pork Slow Cook Scotch Roast.^[1][4][7][8]

港式叉燒通常用梅頭肉。世界各地分割豬肉嘅方法唔同，所以同一部位嘅名稱同切法未必完全一樣。喺澳洲，最接近梅頭肉嘅係 pork scotch roast，取自豬頸附近嘅上肩位置。有時亦會見到 Boston butt 呢個美國名稱，指嘅大致係同一部位，不過切法並唔完全相同。今次用 Coles Pork Slow Cook Scotch Roast。^[1][4][7][8]

If you are interested, this video shows how a Hong Kong butcher cuts up a whole pig. You will notice how different the method is from Western butchery. From 6:23 to 6:35, the butcher points out the area known as 梅頭肉.

如果你有興趣，可以睇下呢段影片，片中示範香港豬肉檔師傅點樣分割一隻豬，你會見到同西式分割方法有幾唔同。由6:23至6:35，師傅亦有指出梅頭肉嘅位置。

The Star Ingredient: Nam Yu 主角：南乳

Nam yu (南乳), or red fermented bean curd, is a traditional seasoning typically made by fermenting tofu and ageing it in a seasoned liquid containing red yeast rice, salt and wine. The red yeast rice gives nam yu its deep-red colour, while fermentation creates its distinctive savoury aroma. Added to the char siu marinade, it gives the pork greater depth of flavour and contributes to its characteristic reddish colour.^[5]^[6]

南乳係一種傳統發酵調味料，通常用豆腐配紅麴米、鹽同酒釀製而成。紅麴米令南乳帶有深紅色，發酵過程就帶出獨特嘅鹹香。南乳加入叉燒醃料之後，可以令味道更加有層次，亦為叉燒增添紅潤色澤。^[5]^[6]

Nam yu is usually sold in jars at Asian grocery stores. Its flavour is concentrated, so a small amount goes a long way. Once opened, keep it refrigerated, use a clean utensil each time and follow the storage instructions on the label.

南乳通常以樽裝出售，喺亞洲超市都幾容易買到。佢味道濃郁，唔需要落太多。開封後要放入雪櫃，每次用乾淨餐具攞取，並按照包裝上嘅方法保存。

For another all-time Cantonese favourite that also uses nam yu, have a look at this Braised Beef Brisket recipe.

另一款同樣會用南乳嘅廣東經典菜式，就係柱侯蘿蔔炆牛腩。

References 參考資料

Michelin Guide — 「穿越時光的香港代表菜：叉燒今昔與必吃推薦」 — the origins of char siu, its traditional roasting method and its development in Hong Kong.
Michelin Guide — “Tracing the Origin: Hong Kong’s Famous Char Siu Egg Rice” — the history of char siu and fried egg rice and the origin of the name “Sorrowful Rice” in The God of Cookery.
South China Morning Post — “The real-life God of Cookery revives char siu rice Stephen Chow made famous in film” — Chef Dai Lung’s role in creating the film’s version of Sorrowful Rice.
Australian Pork — “Scotch (Fillet) Steaks” — identifies pork scotch fillet as collar butt or pork neck.
Hong Kong Education Bureau — Technology and Living Glossary — identifies fermented red bean curd as 南乳.
Taipei International Food Show — “Bean Curd With Red Yeast Rice” — ingredients, uses and refrigeration guidance for red fermented bean curd.
Coles — “Roast Pork Scotch Fillet” — identifies Coles Pork Slow Cook Scotch Roast as a boneless, well-marbled pork scotch fillet, also known as collar butt or pork neck.
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service — “Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications: Fresh Pork” — defines the American specifications for bone-in and boneless pork shoulder butt, commonly called Boston butt.

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