Char siu chop suey is a Chinese-American stir-fry dish combining tender, sweet, and savory Cantonese-style barbecue pork (char siu) with various crisp vegetables like bean sprouts, cabbage, and carrots, all coated in a flavorful, thickened sauce, typically served with rice or noodles. It's a fusion dish, using the beloved char siu as the protein in a classic chop suey base, making it a hearty and popular takeaway meal.
The dish itself, referred to as "the standard Chinese dish of chop suey," is described as "a stew of beef, chicken, or pork, with bean sprouts, mushrooms, water-lily roots, sprouted grain and unknown flavorings." In 1898, it is described as "A Hash of Pork, with Celery, Onions, Bean Sprouts, etc."
Offering its tantalizing signature blend of sweet, sour, and umami flavors, the slowly roasting barbecued pork is ever-tempting, like cherry red sweets behind the glass of a candy shop. Char siu refers specifically to the Cantonese dish of barbecued pork loved throughout Hong Kong.
Char siu (t͡ʃɑ siu̯; cha-SYEW) (Chinese: 叉燒; Cantonese Yale: chāsīu) (literally meaning "fork roasted") is a Cantonese-style barbecued pork. Originating in Guangdong, it is eaten with rice, used as an ingredient for noodle dishes or in stir fries, and as a filling for cha siu bao or pineapple buns.
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) ingredients center on pork (shoulder/butt) marinated in a sweet, savory, and aromatic sauce made from hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey/sugar, five-spice powder, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, garlic, and often red fermented bean curd or food coloring for that classic red hue, plus a final honey glaze for caramelization. Key components include the pork cut, soy/hoisin/oyster sauces, sweeteners, spices (five-spice, garlic), wine, and the signature red colorant.
A good char siu recipe has depth of flavor––a salty/sweet contrast with a hint of spice that compliments the pork and allows it to stand alone with just a simple mound of steamed rice and blanched choy sum.
What makes char siu so mmm…? It's that lovely marinade and glistening glaze! Maltose (or honey), five spice power, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine, red fermented tofu and red food colour comprise the basic mixture; in China, it's common to use 'red yeast rice' to colour the pork.
Traditionally, this dish would be served up sliced over rice with a side of steamed greens, but you can also serve with noodles or in steamed buns.
The "secret" to authentic char siu involves fermented red bean curd (for color and umami), maltose or honey (for sweet glaze & caramelization), and Chinese five-spice powder, along with Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and often rose wine, creating its signature sweet, savory, and aromatic profile with a vibrant red-brown hue. While red food coloring offers a shortcut, the fermented bean curd provides depth, and maltose creates that glossy, caramelized finish.
Shanghai style glazed port is a true Chinese favourite. Described as a pinnacle of Chinese cuisine, this dish features pork chops tenderised to perfection. The pork is dipped in egg, fried quickly, and braised in sweet soy. This creates a sticky external texture and a melt-in-the-mouth texture.
The Qurʾān states that the consumption of pork is not allowed, as it is considered impure, and pork is therefore considered to be haram (expressly forbidden). This prohibition is part of a broader set of dietary laws that aims to maintain ritual purity and cleanliness, which are central to Islamic practice.
While it's rich in protein, it tends to be high in sodium and sugars due to the marinade. One serving of Char Siu (about 100 grams) provides roughly 20-25 grams of protein, making it a decent source of this macronutrient. However, the sodium content can be quite high, often exceeding 500 mg per serving.
Worst: General Tso's Chicken
One order clocks in at around 1,500 calories and 88 grams of fat, and it delivers more sodium than you should get in a day. Other fried dishes to watch out for: sesame, orange, and sweet and sour chicken.
While it varies, General Tso's Chicken and Egg Rolls consistently rank as the top ordered items, with staples like Fried Rice, Lo Mein, Orange Chicken, and Sweet & Sour Chicken also dominating Chinese restaurant menus globally, especially in North America.
In an interview, System of a Down's guitarist, Daron Malakian, explained, "The song is about how we are regarded differently depending on how we pass. Everyone deserves to die. Like, if I were now to die from drug abuse, they might say I deserved it because I abused dangerous drugs.
Other Origin(s):Chinese, Korean. Meaning:Little snake; Leader; Harmonious; Desolate; Beginning of rain; Start of divine protection. Songlike, short, and sweet: Siu is a unique choice for your little one! This feminine name has connections that stretch across the globe.
The Chinese character for tea (chá) 茶 – with the character's three components resembling a person standing beneath grass but above a tree – is a Chinese riddle in itself. There is an old Chinese saying that "everyday life proceeds on seven fundamentals – firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea".
If you're new to char siu, it's an extremely juicy, sweet, and savory pork dish that's a popular entree on its own — and a pleasant addition to many different types of noodles, rice dishes, and pastries like char siu bao.
A pork allergy differs from intolerance. Intolerances typically cause digestive issues, while an allergy can trigger severe immune system responses. If you experience itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing after consuming pork, you may have an allergy rather than an intolerance.
Why does velveting make meat so tender? Although the technique is very simple, it produces delicious results. The meat strips are simply coated with a mixture of egg white, cornflour, sesame oil (or rice wine) and salt before being briefly fried in hot oil or poached in simmering water.
The most unhealthy meats are processed meats (bacon, hot dogs, salami, deli meats) due to high salt, fat, and preservatives (nitrates/nitrites) linked to cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; followed by fatty red meats (beef, lamb, pork) and charred/burnt meats cooked at high temperatures, which form carcinogens; while even poultry becomes unhealthy with skin, heavy breading, and high sodium.
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So Jesus is declared all foods clean regardless of the traditional washing. When the NLT says every food is acceptable in God's eyes it is absolutely accurate. Pork was never considered food in this context either by Jesus or the pharisees.