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Honeyed roast pork (char siu) recipe by Fuchsia Dunlop:


Roasted meats, including pork, goose, chicken and suckling pig, are among the many glories of Cantonese cooking. They are often bought from specialist suppliers but they can also be made at home to scrumptious effect. The ingredients of the marinade vary widely, and may include five-spice powder, chopped shallot and other sauces and seasonings. For the most succulent char siu, use pork that has a good threading of fat: shoulder works well. The maltose syrup can be found in good Chinese supermarkets. You can, if you wish, brush the pork with runny honey instead for a different flavour and slightly less glistening result. Serve the char siu sliced with other dishes and rice as part of a Chinese meal, or on top of a noodle soup for a casual bite. Any leftovers, chopped finely, make a fine addition to fried rice.

skinless pork shoulder 500g
For the marinade:
salt ½ tsp
sugar 4 tbsp
light soy sauce 2 tsp
ground yellow bean sauce 1 tbsp
hoisin sauce 2 tbsp
red fermented beancurd (optional) ½ tbsp
cloves garlic 2, crushed or finely chopped
Shaoxing wine 2 tsp

For the glaze:
ginger 10g, skin on
maltose syrup about 4 tbsp

Cut the pork into strips about 4cm wide and 1.5-2cm thick. Make shallow cuts across any thicker parts of the pork to allow for the marinade to penetrate more easily. Prick the pork all over with a skewer and place it in a bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients, mix well and set aside for about an hour. Set the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Wash the ginger, crush with the side of a cleaver or a rolling pin and place in a cup with cold water to cover. Place the maltose syrup in a small saucepan (you won't be able to measure neat tablespoons because it is extremely sticky, but quantities are not critical). Add 2 tbsp of the water from the ginger, which will now smell wonderfully gingery. Heat the maltose and ginger-water gently to dissolve into a syrup.
Honeyed roast pork
Honeyed roast pork Photograph: Romas Foord

Have ready a roasting pan with a rack. Brush the rack with a little oil to avoid the pork sticking. When the meat is ready, bring some water to the boil and pour a little into the base of the roasting pan: this will catch any drips from the marinade and prevent burning.

Lay the strips of pork on the rack, and place the pan in the centre of the oven. Roast for about 25 minutes, turning halfway.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow the pork to cool for 3 minutes. If any edges have burnt, snip them off with kitchen scissors and discard. Warm up the maltose syrup and brush it generously all over the pork, turning to coat it on both sides. Return the pork to the oven for another 2 minutes.

Lay the pork on a chopping board and, holding your knife at an angle to the board, cut into thick slices. Transfer to a dish and serve.