charsiu options

option 1: bbq charsiu






+ pork
+ honey
+ 5 spice powder
+ sugar, lots
+ soy sauce, both light and dark
+ oyster sauce
+ sesame oil
+ ketchup [ weird i know ]
+ a stick of cinnamon
+ a few peppercorns
+ a few smashed up cloves of garlic
+ a few smashed up bits of ginger


1) mix marinate and throw the pork into the mixture and leave it alone for a day in the fridge or at least 4 hours.
2) get a baking tray and cover with aluminum foil [ this is so that you dun spend rest of the day scrubbing your tray when the sugary mixture starts to cake and bond itself to the tray. ]
3) place a rack over the aluminum foil covered tray and pour a good amount of water into it.
4) place marinated pork over the rack [ the pork is not supposed to be swimming in the water ok...just suspended above it,] then proceed to pop it into the oven. the pork gets kindof steamed roasted.
5) CAUTION: when opening the oven door, allow the steam to disperse before you attempt to touch the charsiu. flip it occasionally. and pour some of the marinate over the charsiu when you flip it.
6) when charsiu looks done... which can be easily half an hour or more.. remove and drain the baking tray of the water and wad nots that it contains now.. and glaze the roasted charsiu with some honey mixed with marinate. pop it back into the oven and then allow for it to char slightly so that the edges become crisp.
7) when done. be careful not to set the smoke alarm off as there will be ALOT of smoke.
8) slice and serve over veg and rice / noodles with remaining marinate sans cloves, ginger, cinnamon stick..which should be heated up / boiled somehow cooked since it contained raw pork before.

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option 2 : stewed charsiu






+ pork
+ honey
+ sugar, lots
+ soy sauce, both light and dark
+ oyster sauce
+ sesame oil
+ a few peppercorns
+ a few smashed up cloves of garlic
+ a few smashed up bits of ginger
+ i guess if you have mirin, sake, kelp,the usual japanese condiments .. no harm in throwing some in..


1) again mix the marinate and throw in the pork and leave to marinate in your fridge for a day
2) sear the meat first so that juices does not eh leak out of the meat? when you stew it.
2) get a saucepan and dilute the marinate, pop the sear meat in it and cook over hob for 30-45 mins. depending on the size and thickness of your slab of pig.
3) remove from saucepan and slice.
4) serve with ramen! add hard boiled egg, vegetables and some sliced spring onions to noodles with broth made from daishi and miso. [btw, i swear it's pork although it looks a bit like duck in the pics. should use a chunkier cut of meat ]

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well, there is always the 3rd option of just buying the charsiu from a shao la shop. which makes life alot easier. i have no idea why we were making char siu when i dun even like charsiu and housemate m who doesn't like pork that much. and! the pork in UK is super strong smelling. super porky. we went a bit mad doing grocery shopping over the weekend. cheapness got the better of us when we saw a whole slab of pork belly for less than 2 pounds.

anyway, option 2 served with ramen was carried out by housemate m who refuses to be named. but of course everyone knows who she is. she doesn't think cooking is all that cool' oh well. as long as i get my dinner. wahahha.