An appetising mahogany glaze characterises Cantonese-Style Roast Pork. - Cole Publishing Group/Universal Press Syndicate CANTONESE-STYLE roast pork is a favourite specialty at Chinese take-outs. Easily identified by its reddish-brown glaze, the pork is tender and succulent, ideal for serving as the main course, adding to stir-fried rice or noodles, or topping scrambled eggs or omelettes.
A fragrant marinade with simple Asian seasonings and slow roasting enable home cooks to produce savoury results that are a near match for Cantonese "barbecued" pork from Chinese delis. The first recipe requires up to 24 hours of marinating but yields a deep, reddish-brown glaze; the second recipe calls for briefly simmering and steeping the meat before roasting it.
SUCCESS TIPS:
Five-spice powder is a classic Chinese spice blend for meats and poultry. It is available in most supermarkets and in markets specialising in Chinese ingredients.
Red bean curd, a fragrant, salty, fermented form of tofu, is sold in cans and jars. The bright red colour comes from red rice, a natural colouring ingredient. It is available in larger supermarkets and in Chinese markets.
Hoisin sauce is a popular blend of soybeans, sugar and spices. Used as both a condiment and ingredient, it is available in jars and cans in most supermarkets and in Chinese markets.
Shoaxing (Shao Hsing) wine is a dark rice wine that is often used as a seasoning ingredient. It is sold in many supermarkets, wine shops and in Asian markets.
Cantonese Roast Pork I
The use of red bean curd in the marinade creates a rich, deeply coloured glaze that is much more appealing than commercial versions tinted with food colouring. If red bean curd is unavailable, substitute 1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt. Roasting the meat over a pan of water keeps the drippings from burning and keeps the meat juicy.
2 tbsps. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. each minced
garlic and ginger
2 tbsps. minced shallot
or green onion
1 tbsp. Shaoxing wine
or dry sherry
1/2 tsp. five-spice powder
1 tbsp. red bean curd, with
liquid, or 1/2 teaspoon
coarse salt
2 tbsps, each hoisin sauce
and honey
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. soy sauce
2 lbs. boneless pork (shoulder,
butt or leg), in one piece
METHOD
1. In a small skillet or saucepan, heat oil over low
heat. Add garlic, ginger and shallot; cook 5 minutes,
adjusting heat so that the
mixture barely sizzles.
2. Turn off heat and stir in wine, five-spice powder, red bean curd (if used) and 1 tablespoon each of the hoisin sauce, honey and soy sauce. Reserve 1 tablespoon of this marinade to give the roasted pork a sparkling finish.
3. Separate pork along the natural seams of the meat, removing fat and gristle. Cut the meat along the grain into 1-by-2-inch strips up to 8 inches long. Toss strips in marinade to coat them evenly. Transfer meat to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate from 6 to 24 hours in refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one or two racks over top of a large roasting pan. Fill pan with water to a depth of 1 inch. Wipe excess marinade from pork, reserving excess marinade in a bowl. Place pork strips across rack so that they do not touch.
5. Roast pork 45 minutes. Meanwhile, strain excess marinade and combine with the remaining hoisin sauce, honey and soy sauce. Occasionally brush meat with this mixture as it cooks. Increase heat to 450 degrees and roast 10 minutes more. When meat is fully roasted (has an internal temperature of 160 degrees), remove from oven and lightly brush with the reserved 1 tablespoon marinade from Step 2. Serve meat hot or cool on rack. To serve, slice thinly across the grain.
Serves 4 to 6.
Cantonese Roast Pork II
In lieu of the lengthy marinating required for the traditional version of Cantonese Roast Pork, this short-cut method calls for first simmering, then steeping the meat before finishing it under the broiler or roasting it over a hot charcoal fire to produce the characteristic glaze.
2 lbs. boneless pork
shoulder, butt or leg
1 cup water
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
2 tbsps. Shaoxing wine
or dry sherry
1 heaping tbsp. brown sugar
2 green onions, chopped
3 or 4 slices ginger
1/2 tsp. five-spice powder
1 tbsp. hoisin sauce
METHOD
1. Separate and slice pork as described in Step 3 of Cantonese Roast Pork I.
2. In a wok or large saucepan, combine water, soy sauce, wine, sugar, green onion, ginger and five-spice powder; bring to a boil. Add meat strips and simmer 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let steep 20 minutes in cooking liquid. Refrigerate; steep at least 30 minutes more.
3. Preheat broiler or prepare a hot charcoal fire. Remove meat from marinade. Combine hoisin sauce with 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and rub mixture over meat.
4. Broil meat in preheated broiler or grill over hot charcoal fire, turning as necessary, until outside is nicely browned, approximately 5 to 8 minutes per side. Serve hot, warm or cold.
Serves 4 to 6.
