CHAR SIU (CHINESE BBQ PORK), SESAME BOK CHOY, GINGER SCALLION SAUCE, EEL SAUCE

Chinatown at Home. Char Siu and roast duck sliced over rice with ginger scallion sauce soaking into everything, this is always my combination platter order every time I go to Chinatown. Now, I make it at home with the same flavors and depth that would make you want an extra container of rice just for the sauce. And yes, it tastes just as good!

If you missed it, here’s my Cantonese Style Roast Duck recipe.

Char Siu Roast Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork)

Sweet. Smoky. Sticky. That deep red glossy, caramelized at the edges pork just like the pork that hangs in the window at Great Noodletown NY. Same sweetness, same lacquered finish and same flavor that makes you want an extra container of rice just for the sauce.

Serves 4–6 | 6–24 hour marinade | Intermediate but very doable

Ingredients

Pork

• 3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into long thick strips (lightly trimmed, leave some fat)

• ¼ cup water (for roasting pan)

Char Siu Marinade

• 2 tbsp brown sugar (or white sugar)

• 2 tbsp oyster sauce

• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce

•  1 tbsp Shaoxing wine

•  2 tsp red food coloring (optional, classic look)

• 1 tsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tsp Chinese five spice

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• ⅛ tsp white pepper

• ⅛ tsp MSG (Accent)

• ¼ tsp Dash of Dacy Garlic Onion Herb (or similar blend)

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

Basting Glaze

• 3 tbsp reserved marinade

• 3 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp hot water

Method

1. Prep the Pork

Pat the pork completely dry. This matters, moisture blocks caramelization. Cut into long, thick strips (about 1½–2 inches wide). Don’t remove all the fat,  it renders and bastes the meat naturally while roasting.

Lightly pierce the pork all over with the tip of a knife. Not deep just enough to help the marinade penetrate.

2. Marinate

Whisk all marinade ingredients together until smooth. Reserve 3 tablespoons for later basting. Pour remaining marinade over pork. Massage it into every crevice. Refrigerate 6–24 hours. Overnight gives deeper flavor.

Chef Note: The sugar + hoisin + oyster sauce create that sticky Chinatown style finish.

3. Bring to Room Temperature

Remove pork from fridge 45–60 minutes before roasting. Cold meat in a hot oven cooks unevenly.

4. Roast | Stage One (Build Color)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a roasting pan with foil. Add ¼ cup water to the bottom, this prevents burning and smoking.

Place pork on a wire rack over the pan.

Roast on upper third rack for 15 minutes.

High heat begins caramelization.

5. Lower & Baste (Build Lacquer)

Reduce oven to 375–400°F.

Mix honey + hot water into reserved marinade. Flip pork, baste generously.

Roast 25 minutes, rotating the pan each time you baste for even color.

You should see the edges starting to darken and bubble slightly.

6. Final Caramelization

Flip again. Baste heavily. Roast another 10–15 minutes.

If it’s not getting that signature char, raise to 425°F for final 5–10 minutes.

If charring too quickly, lower rack or reduce temp slightly. You want sticky caramelized edges not burnt.

Internal temp:

• 145°F = juicy and tender

• 165°F = more traditional Chinatown style cooked through Rest 5–10 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Chef Tips

• Sugar burns fast stay close.

• Always roast elevated.

• Don’t skip the final high heat that’s where the magic happens.

 

Sesame Blanched Bok Choy

Serves 4 | 10 minutes | Easy

Ingredients

• 4–5 bundles baby bok choy

• 1 tbsp sesame oil (for water)

• Salt (about 1 tsp for water)

• Pinch sugar

• Pinch MSG (optional)

• Sesame seeds or chili oil (optional garnish)

Method

1. Clean Thoroughly

Separate leaves and rinse well. Bok choy traps grit between layers, don’t skip this.

2. Season the Water

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, sugar, MSG (if using) and sesame oil directly into the water. This lightly seasons the vegetable from the inside out.

3. Blanch

Add bok choy and gently press down to fully submerge. Cook about 2 minutes.

You’re looking for bright green leaves, tender stems and a slightly crisp bite

Do not overcook.

4. Drain & Serve

Remove with tongs, let excess water drain off and serve warm.

Optional: drizzle sesame oil, sprinkle sesame seeds or add chili oil.

Chef Tip

The goal is vibrant and crisp, not soft and limp.

 

Ginger Scallion Sauce (Hot Oil Method)

This is the sauce that makes plain rice taste exceptional. The heat from the oil wakes up the ginger and scallions and once you make it once, you’ll start putting it on everything.

Makes about 1 cup | 10 minutes | Easy but skill building

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp finely minced scallions (white + a little green for balance)

• 3 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger

• ½ cup vegetable oil or corn oil

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp salt

• Light soy sauce (optional to taste)

Method

1. Prep the aromatics.

Finely mince scallions and ginger. Keep them separate since the ginger goes in first. Make sure the scallions are completely dry to avoid splattering.

2. Heat the oil.

Heat oil over high heat until shimmering and slightly rippling. If a tiny piece of ginger sizzles immediately, it’s ready.

3. Bloom the ginger.

Add ginger and cook 10–15 seconds while stirring. You’re releasing aroma into the oil  not browning it.

4. Add the scallions.

Add scallions and cook 20–30 seconds, stirring gently. They should soften slightly and stay bright green no browning.

5. Finish and season.

Immediately transfer everything to a heatproof bowl. Stir in sesame oil and salt. Taste and adjust. Add a small splash of light soy sauce if you want deeper savoriness. Let sit 20–30 minutes before serving so the flavors settle.

Chef Tips

• The oil must be hot enough to sizzle on contact.

• Sesame oil goes in at the end to preserve its aroma.

• This sauce gets better after resting.

Sweet Eel Style Glaze

Makes about ¾ cup | 15 minutes | Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp turbinado sugar

• 1 tsp dark brown sugar

• ⅓ cup sake

• ⅓ cup mirin

• ⅓ cup soy sauce

Method

1. Melt the Sugar

Add both sugars to a small saucepan over medium heat. Let them begin to melt and dissolve slightly. You’re not making caramel, just waking up the sugars.

2. Add Sake & Mirin

Once sugars begin to liquefy, add sake and mirin. Bring to a gentle boil for 1–2 minutes to cook off some alcohol.

3. Add Soy Sauce & Simmer

Lower heat than add soy sauce and simmer 8–10 minutes. You’re looking for syrupy consistency, it should coat the back of a spoon. Skim off any foam. Remove from heat. It thickens as it cools. I made the whole spread! Roast duck, char siu + bok choy over white rice with eel sauce and scallion ginger dripping down the sides. I plated it in one of those clear plastic takeout containers the kind they hand you at Great Noodle Town in New York. I stacked it and packed it tight. No garnish, no styling just stacked w. sauce settling into the rice and somehow… that made it taste even better. Tell me that’s not the real experience!!