Siu mei is a Cantonese dish of roasted meat, typically pork, duck, goose, or chicken, marinated in flavorful sauces. It is typically found in restaurants and served with rice or noodles. Modern methods use rotisserie ovens instead of open fires.
Siu mei refers to a dish that involves roasting meat on a spit over an open fire. There are many different types of siu mei, depending on the meat being cooked, which can include pork, duck, goose or chicken. Each meat is marinated in a different flavorful sauce containing spices and soy sauce. This dish is typically only made in restaurants, and families buy it as a full meal or use it as an ingredient in other dishes. Modern methods typically prepare the meat in a rotisserie oven rather than an open fire.
This style of cooking originates in the Cantonese cuisine of southern China, particularly in the Guangdong province. Of all the regional styles of Chinese cuisine, Cantonese is one of the most famous in the world. There are variations of siu mei found in American-Chinese cuisine and in Chinatowns in cities around the world.
The sauce added to cooking meat is usually very flavorful and depends on the type of meat being cooked. The sauce also varies depending on the cook, although it traditionally contains soy sauce and five-spice powder. Some sauces are linked to specific regions of China and can only be served in those locations.
There are several varieties of sui mei, and the name varies according to the meat. Barbecued pork is known as cha siu, while siu yuk is crispy, roasted pork. White cut chicken is steamed, marinated chicken, siu ngo is roasted goose, and siu ngaap is roasted duck. The only fish cooked this way is cuttlefish with orange sauce. This fish, along with marinated chicken, is not cooked in a rotisserie but sold alongside mei and considered a style of this dish.
Siu mei is typically found in restaurants and fast food outlets. The tools needed to cook meat in this way are large and expensive, and time-consuming to prepare. Most modern versions are cooked in a large oven, with the meat threaded onto long skewers, which are turned so it rotates and cooks evenly on all sides. It is common for families in China to purchase cooked meat from restaurants rather than preparing it at home.
When sui mei is the main course of a meal, it is traditionally served with rice, noodle soup, or fried noodles. This dish is one of the few in Chinese cuisine that doesn’t include vegetables in the ingredients. The meat can also be used as an ingredient in other dishes. Many times, meat is served as a side dish with dim sum.
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