Char-Siu Pork Fillet

Char-sui is basically the Chinese version of barbecue pork. They normally steam it, or steam-bake it, but i prefer it pan-cooked so the marinade bubbles away and gives a lovely sticky coating.

Ingredients:

1 pork fillet - 12 to 14oz - this should feed two people
2 tblspn vegetable oil

For the marinade:

50ml dark soy sauce
50ml dry shery
2 tblspn yellow bean sauce
2 tblspn runny honey
2 tblspn hoi-sin sauce
1 thumb fresh ginger - peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
2 tblspn demarera sugar
a pinch of 5-spice
a few drops of sesame oil

Method:

1. Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large non-metallic bowl.

2. Remove all fat and sinew from the pork fillet. Slash a shallow criss-cross pattern along the length with a sharp knife, flip over and repeat. Add to the marinade, cover with clingfilm and chill overnight.

3. Pre-heat your oven to 180°c. Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper.

4. Add the vegetable oil to a frying pan and place over a high heat, add the pork fillet and cook until golden on all sides. Transfer to the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

5. Take the pan from the oven and place over a medium heat. Add six tablespoons of the marinade and let it bubble away to a thick glaze, turning the pork constantly to coat. Remove the pork and rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Being a bit of a caveman i tend to pick the pork up with my hands and just chew it but the more house-trained amongst you may want to serve it with something like steamed greens and rice, and perhaps some cutlery!