what a porker!

I must admit I have been a bit of a slacker lately. It's been 3 weeks since my last post, and the timing of this was probably due to me commencing the Dukan diet around the same time. I'm trying to shed a few pounds in time for my trip back home in early April where I know I will be eating tirelessly and no doubt adding more pounds than I would like.

One of the key success factor of the Dukan diet is the intake of protein - and lots of it. It's hard trying to figure out what to eat day in, day out when you're limited to proteins only and seafood is scarce and expensive in this city.

I've also increased my viewing of the Food Channel - it's amazing the amount of ideas you can get from simply watching a few episodes a week.
One of the dishes I experimented with during the diet phase was good old Char Siu (or Chinese BBQ pork). My mum makes really yummy char siu, but I was too lazy to call her for the recipe. No doubt she will talk my ear off about everything else under the sun when all I really want is her recipe. So on this occasion the Internet served its purpose.

This is a quick and easy recipe and can even be prepared a couple days in advance for maximum flavour.

marinate the pork pieces overnight for maximum flavour

chargrilled to perfection

ready for consumption

char siu (chinese bbq pork)
created: 8 February 2012


[ingredients]:

• 500g               pork fillet (you can also substitute with pork belly)
• 3                    cloves garlic (finely minced)
• 1 1/2 tbsp        vegetable oil

for the marinade:

• 1 tbsp            shao xing wine
• 1 1/2 tbsp       soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp       hoisin sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp       maltose (you can buy this at any korean grocers)
• 1 1/2 tbsp       honey
• 1/2 tsp           chinese five spice powder
• 1/2 tsp           sesame oil
• 1 tsp              white pepper powder

[method]: 

• cut the pork up into 4 equal pieces.
• in a saucepan, add all the ingredients for the marinade and stir on a medium to high heat until the sauce thickens. Transfer into a bowl and allow to cool.
• add the pork along with the garlic and 2/3 of the sauce in a bowl and allow to marinade in the fridge overnight.
• add the vegetable oil to the remaining 1/3 marinade and refrigerate overnight.
• when you are ready to cook the pork, take it out of the fridge and bring up to room temperature prior to cooking.
• preheat the oven to 190 degrees celsius and then roast the pork for around 15 minutes. 
• take the pork out and crank up the heat to around 240 degrees celsius with the grill/oven setting.
• baste the pork with 1/2 of the remaining sauce and roast until the pork is cooked or until the edges are evenly charred.
• slice the pork and drizzle with the remaining sauce, serve immediately with some boiled rice.

serves: 2