Make a restaurant classic at home with this Scottish Chinese takeaway style char siu curry recipe. Aromatic and full of flavour, it’s perfect with fried rice and salt & chilli chips.
This Chinese takeaway style char siu curry is a pork take on a classic made simple at home. Slightly sweet char siu, onions with a bit of bite and a rich, thick savoury and spicy curry sauce.
Ingredients For Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu Curry
This classic chicken curry uses Chinese takeaway style curry paste, simmered down with light stock, sea salt, MSG and sugar to make a deliciously rich and spicy curry sauce.
- Vegetable Oil
- Onion
- Light Chicken Stock
- Sea Salt
- MSG
- Sugar
- Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu
- Chinese Takeaway Style Curry Paste
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 Curry
Making this classic Chinese char siu curry is fast and easy with curry paste prepared. To begin, onion is flash fried in a hot wok. Next, seasoning and light chicken stock is added, along with sliced char siu and curry paste. The sauce is simmered until thick and Chinese char siu curry is ready to serve.
Step 1: Prepare Sauce
Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add 1/4 onion, roughly choppedand stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add 225 millilitres light chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon MSG and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Mix well. Add 12 slices cooked char siu, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 seconds.
Step 2: Stir Fry
Reduce the heat to low and add 50 grams Chinese takeaway style curry paste , whisking thoroughly and mixing well until the curry sauce becomes smooth. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, adding a little extra water if necessary until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Recipe Tips for Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu Curry
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.
Curry Paste: This recipe uses Chinese takeaway style curry paste. This is an aromatic, spice filled mix that you can prepare easily at home and store in the freezer. You’ll never be more than a few minutes away from a fresh batch of Chinese takeaway style curry sauce!
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 curry recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!
Char Siu Curry (Chinese Takeaway Style)
Equipment
- 1 Wok or Large Frying Pan
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 onion, roughly chopped
- 225 millilitres light chicken stock
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon MSG
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 12 slices cooked char siu
- 50 grams Chinese takeaway style curry paste
Instructions
- Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add 1/4 onion, roughly chopped and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add 225 millilitres light chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon MSG and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Mix well. Add 12 slices cooked char siu, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 seconds.
- Reduce the heat to low and add 50 grams Chinese takeaway style curry paste , whisking thoroughly and mixing well until the curry sauce becomes smooth. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, adding a little extra water if necessary until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu Curry 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.
Do you like this Chinese takeaway style char siu curry 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 Scottish Chinese takeaway style beef satay, king prawn in black bean sauce, salt and chilli chicken chow mein and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.
- McGovern, Kenny (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 240 Pages – 06/09/2022 (Publication Date) – Robinson (Publisher)
