Char Siu with Black Pepper Sauce (Chinese Takeaway Style)

This Glasgow Chinese takeaway style char siu with black pepper sauce recipe comes together in a matter of minutes, delivering a stir fry dish that’s packed full of flavour. Spicy with black and white pepper, it’s perfect for a quick midweek dinner with egg fried rice and prawn crackers.

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This Chinese takeaway style char siu with black pepper is a real restaurant favourite recreated at home. Sweet and savoury char siu stir-fried with fresh peppers in a hot, peppery sauce that’s aromatic, and full of flavour.

Ingredients For Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu with Black Pepper Sauce

This char siu with black pepper sauce combines sliced char siu with fresh peppers and a savoury stir fry sauce made warming and hot with black and white pepper.

• Oyster Sauce
• Light Soy Sauce
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Black Pepper
• White Pepper
• Caster Sugar
• Sunflower Oil
• Onion
• Red Pepper
• Green Pepper
• Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu
• Sea Salt
• MSG
• Chopped Garlic in Oil
• Chopped Garlic in Oil
• Light Chicken Stock
• Potato Starch
• Spring Onion
• Rice Wine

Cook Like a Takeaway: Want to see the exact oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine I use in all my Chinese recipes? Check out my Chinese Takeaway Style Cooking Essentials guide.

How To Make Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu with Black Pepper Sauce

Making this delicious Chinese takeaway style char siu with black pepper sauce is easy! To begin, the sauce is prepared. Next, onion and peppers are stir fried in a hot wok, along with sliced char siu, sea salt, MSG and chopped garlic. The prepared sauce is added and simmered with light stock before being thickened. Finally, rice wine is added to finish and char siu with black pepper sauce is ready to serve.

Step 1: Sauce

In a bowl, add 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, pinch white pepper and 1/4 teaspoon caster sugar. Mix briefly and set aside.

Step 2: Stir Fry

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, 1/2 onion, sliced, 1/4 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped, and 1/4 green pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped and 12 slices cooked char siu. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add pinch sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon MSG and mix well. Add the prepared sauce and 200 millilitres light chicken stock. Mix well, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.

Step 3: Finish & Serve

Slowly add 1 tablespoon potato starch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water, stirring well until the sauce reaches the desired consistency (you may not need all of the mix). Finish with 1 spring onion, sliced and 1 teaspoon rice wine, mix well once more and serve.

Recipe Tips for Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu with Black Pepper Sauce

Char Siu: This recipe uses Chinese takeaway style char siu pork. This simple char siu pork recipe can be cooked ahead of time and the sliced cooked pork set aside in the fridge or freezer for use in Chinese takeaway style dishes.

Preparation: Stir fry dishes come together quickly, so it’s good to have all the necessary ingredients and sauces prepared and to hand before you start cooking. Once you start, it’s all go until the dish is sizzling hot and ready to serve!

I hope you’ll try this Chinese takeaway style char siu with black pepper sauce recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!

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Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu with Black Pepper Sauce Recipe FAQ

What is MSG and why should I use it?

MSG is monosodium glutamate, a seasoning ingredient widely used in Chinese takeaway kitchens, in pure form or as an ingredient in soy sauces and other seasoning sauces. Despite historic baseless claims of its dangers, it has been widely proven to be considered safe for use in cooking. In fact, many of the myths and lies about MSG were deliberately and maliciously spread as a form of racism. You can find MSG naturally in many foodstuffs including broccoli, cheese and tomatoes. It’s available online or in Chinese supermarkets. You can learn more about MSG from the brilliant Chin Taylor of Ziang’s Kitchen here.

Do I need a carbon steel wok to cook Chinese takeaway style dishes?

A well seasoned carbon steel wok is a wonderful addition to your Chinese takeaway style cooking equipment, and I would highly recommend investing in one. But, you can cook this dish in any wok or large frying pan and it will be delicious!

Can I use cornflour instead of potato starch?

Yes, you can use cornflour and water to thicken the simmering stir fry sauce. It will do a similar job, however a more consistent texture is achieved using potato starch.

Can I use chicken / beef / king prawns / vegetables instead?

Yes! This recipe also works well with chicken, beef, king prawns or mixed vegetables.

What’s the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?

In Chinese takeaway kitchens, chefs use light soy sauce mainly for seasoning – it’s thinner and more salty than dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a thicker consistency and is used to add colour to stir fry sauces and egg fried rice.

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Do you like this Chinese takeaway style char siu with black pepper sauce recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Chinese Takeaway Secret you can find a host of restaurant and takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make Glasgow Chinese takeaway style chicken curry, spring rolls, crispy noodles and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.

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