Char siew + siu yuk rice (叉烧烧肉饭) ($5)!
Tanjong Pagar hawker char siew + crispy roast pork rice — sliced char siew with dark glaze, sliced siu yuk with crackling skin, rice, cucumber, side soup. $5.
Lunch — char siew + siu yuk rice (叉烧烧肉饭) at a Tanjong Pagar hawker for $5. The Cantonese roast meat duo plate. 😋
What was on the plate ($5):
- Pink-rim hawker plate with:
- Sliced char siew (BBQ pork) on the left — visible dark glazed crispy edges + tender pink interior.
- Sliced siu yuk (crispy roast pork belly) on the right — visible layers of skin + fat + meat, the crackling skin layer showing the golden-brown crispy top.
- White rice at the base, dressed with dark sweet soya glaze drizzled across.
- Cucumber slices on the left as the cooling side.
- A side bowl of clear soup at the top.
Char siew + siu yuk (叉烧烧肉) = the Cantonese two-roast combo — char siew is the BBQ honey-glazed pork shoulder, siu yuk is the crispy roast pork belly with crackling skin. The classic Cantonese roast meat shop pairing.
Char siew (叉烧) detail:
- Pork shoulder cuts marinated in honey + soya + five-spice + Shaoxing wine + hoisin + maltose
- Roasted until the outside caramelises into the signature dark mahogany char
- The pink interior comes from the curing (similar to ham)
- Best slices have slightly burnt charred edges (“hak yan tau” / “burnt fragrant head”)
Siu yuk (烧肉) detail:
- Pork belly with the skin scored + dried + roasted
- The skin layer transforms into crispy crackling at high heat
- The meat layer underneath stays moist (the fat layer renders + bastes the meat)
- Test of a good siu yuk: the shatter-crack of the skin when bitten
$5 for the combo plate = budget Cantonese roast pricing. The proper roast meat shops (Roast Paradise, Hawker Chan one-Michelin etc.) run $7-12+ for the same plate. At $5, this is the everyday neighbourhood roast shop tier — quality is slightly below the famous chains but the value beats them.
Cucumber = the standard cooling side for Cantonese roast meats — fresh + neutralises the richness.
Side clear soup = the Cantonese roast meat shop tradition — light broth made from boiled pork bones, palate cleanser between the rich meat bites.
Dark sweet soya glaze on the rice = the SG-Cantonese version’s touch — the rice gets a drizzle of the roast pork pan-drippings + dark soya for the umami-sweet finish.
Total: $5.
Overall: 4.1 / 5. Char siew had proper dark glaze + tender pink interior, siu yuk had crispy crackling skin + moist meat layer, dark soya glaze made the rice fragrant. Cantonese roast comfort at neighbourhood price. 😋👍🏼
