Char Siu with Ginger & Spring Onion (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Make a Chinese takeaway stir fry classic using this char siu with ginger & spring onion recipe. Packed with fresh flavour, it’s perfect with chow mein with beansprouts.

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This Chinese takeaway style char siu with ginger & spring recipe recreates a fresh and deliciously simple Chinese takeaway main course at home. Slightly sweet pork, bright and fresh ginger and spring onion flavour combine with a savoury sauce to make a deliciously simple and tasty dish.

Ingredients For Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu With Ginger & Spring Onion

This Chinese takeaway style char siu with ginger & spring onion recipe uses Chinese takeaway style char siu and fresh garlic and ginger, with a familiar combination of stir fry ingredients including oyster sauce, soy sauce and MSG.

• Oyster Sauce
• Light Soy Sauce
• Dark Soy Sauce
• Caster Sugar
• White Pepper
• Sunflower Oil
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Onion
• Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu Pork
• Sea Salt
• MSG
• Light Chicken Stock
• Potato Starch
• Rice Wine
• Aromatic Oil or Sesame Oil

Cook Like a Takeaway: Want to see which brands of 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 Ginger & Spring Onion

Making this delicious Chinese takeaway style char siu with ginger & spring onion is fast and easy! First, garlic, ginger, onion and spring onion are stir fried in a hot wok, along with char siu, sea salt, MSG and chopped garlic. The prepared sauce is added and simmered with stock before being thickened slightly. Finally, rice wine and aromatic oil or sesame oil are added to finish and the dish is ready to serve.

Step 1: Sauce

In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon caster sugar and Pinch white pepper. 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, 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped and 2.5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped. Stir fry for 20 seconds. Add 1/2 onion, sliced and 2 spring onions, sliced and stir fry for 1 minute. Add 12 slices cooked char siu, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 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

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 teaspoon rice wine and Dash aromatic oil or sesame oil, mix well once more and serve.

Recipe Tips For Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu With Ginger & Spring Onion

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 ginger & spring onion recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!

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Chinese Takeaway Style Char Siu With Ginger & Spring Onion 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 beef / chicken/ king prawns / vegetables instead?

Yes! This recipe also works well with beef, chicken, 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 ginger & spring onion 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 salt and chilli chicken, lemon chicken, sweet & sour sauce and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.

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