Dish of the Week
叉燒 Char Siu

Roast Pork (w/ rice)
Taught to me by WING HONG CHINESE ELDERLY GROUP

Wing Hong Chinese Elderly Centre

... caters specifically to the elderly Chinese community in Glasgow, combatting the isolation and loneliness that can occur in older migrant generations due to language barriers, cultural differences and lower social confidence. Wing Hong offers space, facilities and activities for its community including regular lunch days, exercise classes and local information and resources (there's also a thriving card/mahjong scene!)

Like much of the UK, Glasgow has a rich history of Chinese migration, especially Cantonese and Hakka speakers from Hong Kong in the post-war years and beyond. At the same time they have long been regarded as a 'silent' community, often encouraged to stay out of politics and/or activism and instead remain reserved and isolated. While this has slowly changed over generations, those in elderly Chinese communities often still feel unable to participate due to their language and cultural barriers. Therefore, Wing Hong raises awareness of the Chinese elderly community, as well as promoting healthy lifestyles among its members. Also, it has a great kitchen, equiped with a wok burner, a strong extraction fan and a large oven perfect for multiple portions of 叉燒.

叉燒 Char Siu

... is a type of 燒味 (siu-mei), or Cantonese roasted meat. Traditionally, strips of boneless pork would be seasoned with a mixture of five spice, hoisin sauce and honey and then skewered on long forks before being placed in an oven. It is then served with rice, or alternatively used as an ingredient in buns or with noodles. Unlike in the West, ovens have historically been a rarity in Hong Kong/Chinese kitchens, instead families would buy their 燒味 from specialist shops and then take it home to be used as part of a family meal. Because of this it is still often seen as a food to be cooked and served for special occasions or as part of a larger gathering.

Recipe

叉燒 Char Siu

500g boneless pork
Belly pork slices are best, although shoulder steaks can be used as well
2 tbsp of char siu sauce
Or hoisin sauce if char siu sauce can't be found
1 tsp of salt
Where would we be without salt, eh?
2 tsp sugar
I’m told whatever amount of salt you use, you should use double the amount of sugar
a drizzle of honey
The sweetness of life is beautifully, brilliantly unavoidable. So taste it.
2 cups of long grain white rice
There is a reason why ‘rice’ rhymes with ‘nice’.
  1. Massage the char siu sauce into the pork, then add salt and sugar.
  2. Leave to marinate (ideally overnight).
  3. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees, spread pork evenly over baking tray.
  4. Once oven is hot, roast the meat for 40 minutes.
  5. Carefully remove pork, drizzle over honey and then turn it over and do the same again.
  6. Return the meat to the oven for 20 minutes.
  7. Wash rice ready for cooking.
  8. Remove meat and leave to rest.
  9. Cook rice in the rice cooker.
  10. Once cool enough to handle, chop the meat into strips.
  11. Serve together.