Charles N.
Yelp
Siu mei (烧味) is a Cantonese term for roasted meats on spits over an open wood fire or large burning oven that can usually be found a Montreal Chinatown restaurant window, made to take-out as is or offered as a complete meal in a box, with the meats and laid on top of white rice with some veggies.
Traditional dishes such as roast duck, roast pork, crispy pork belly tend to be coated with a marinade, usually honey or maltose sugar, before being fully cooked, that provides different flavor profiles and diversity of textures make it exciting to eat!
A friend of mine @shutupandeat recommended another spot @dakhingbbq located in Côte-des-Neiges, where the excellent roast master takes pride to prepare food in a way they would serve to their own children, parents and family... well let me tell you, the following glistening dishes quickly found their way to our home and then promptly into our bellies!
Char siu (叉烧): fundamentally pork pork loin, belly, or shoulder, distinguished by its signature dark red hue, is marinated in a mixture of honey, five-spice powder, red fermented bean curd, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sometimes rice wine. The name refers to the cooking method where char means fork in Cantonese, and siu means to burn or roast.
Siu yuk (烧肉) or crispy roasted pork, after being seasoned, the entire pig is roasted in a furnace at high temperature, which leaves a crispy skin with a gorgeous golden hue and a juicy, tender meat. The key to this dish is the skin, which is poked with tiny holes, to allow the crackling to happen, and covered with coarse salt before the meat is roasted.
Siu ngaap (烧鸭) or roasted duck is first soaked in marinade of star anise, peppercorns, green shallots, ginger, cassia buds, cloves, and salt. The exterior is rubbed with a vinegar and maltose sugar coating, to gives its signature sweet taste. The bird is then pumped with air, poached, and then finally roasted at high temperature to allow the skin to be slightly crispy, while the meat remains tender and juicy.
There are many more items on the menu to try and well 'tis the season to give, so I will drop some off to our friends and family - hope you do to!