Siu yuk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siu yuk |
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Sliced Roasted Pig
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| Chinese | 燒肉 | ||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | roasted meat | ||||||||||||
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Siu yuk (pronounced "see-yoo yook") is a super tasty roasted meat dish from Cantonese cuisine. It's a type of siu mei, which just means "roasted meat dishes." To make Siu yuk, a whole pig is roasted in a very hot charcoal oven. Chefs add seasonings like salt and vinegar to make it extra delicious.
The best Siu yuk has crispy skin and meat that's juicy and soft. People usually eat it plain with its skin. Sometimes, they add soy sauce or hoisin sauce for more flavor.
Contents
What is Siu Yuk?
When you get a plate of individual pieces of this delicious pork, it's called "roasted meat" (Chinese: 燒肉; pinyin: shāo ròu; Cantonese Yale: sīu yuhk). If a whole pig is served, it's known as "roasted pig" (Chinese: 燒豬; pinyin: shāo zhū; Cantonese Yale: sīu jyū). Most of the time, you'll hear it called "roasted meat" because people usually eat it in smaller amounts.
Where is Siu Yuk Popular?
Southern China's Special Tradition
The way Siu yuk is cooked in southern mainland China and Hong Kong is very similar. Sometimes, families or businesses buy a whole roasted pig for special events. This could be for family parties, opening a new business, or as a special offering.
For example, in the movie industry in Hong Kong, it's a tradition to offer one or more whole roast pigs. They do this to celebrate a film's opening. It's a way to wish for the movie to be successful. To make the roast pig look even better, people sometimes decorate it. They might add round slices of pineapple and bright red glacé cherries for eyes. The whole roast pig is often given in red wrapping paper and a red box. This is because red is a lucky color!
Siu Yuk in Chinatowns Worldwide
Many Chinatowns around the world have restaurants that serve Siu yuk. Most people who moved from China to other countries came from the southern parts of China. Because of this, the cooking style in these restaurants is almost the same as what you'd find in Southern China.
See also
In Spanish: Siu yuk para niños
