How to Make Malaysian Char Siu Glazed with Malt Syrup

Method

1. Put 4 tablespoons minced garlic into 4 tablespoons cooking oil while the oil is still cold and stir until the garlic is golden and fragrant, then pour off the fried garlic and the garlic oil separately.
2. Cut 1kg pork collar into pieces about the size of your hand.
3. Dissolve 1 teaspoon annatto powder into the garlic oil until it is completely smooth.
4. Pour the red garlic oil over the pork with 1 teaspoon hung liu spice powder, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 tablespoons mai que lo and half the crisp fried garlic.
5. Mix and massage it in thoroughly, then cover it and marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
6. Cook in an air fryer at 155 to 160 degrees C for about 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.
7. Raise the heat for a second cook at 180 degrees C for 5 minutes so the edges char, then let the pork cool a little.
8. Melt 4 tablespoons malt syrup, season it with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, then turn each piece of pork through it until evenly glazed.
9. Slice the pork thin, arrange it on a plate, scatter the rest of the fried garlic over and spoon the malt glaze on top.

Tips

• Pork collar or crisp shoulder has the right balance of lean and fat, which is what keeps it from roasting out dry.
• Malt syrup is still a sugar, so keep the glaze to a thin coat on the outside.
• Without mai que lo, glutinous rice wine works and gives a lighter aroma.
• Without an air fryer, the oven does the same job at the same temperatures.