章 50: At the Hospital

While preparing ingredients for dinner, I remember a dish that quite tasty but need a long time to prepare called Char Siu. So while preparing the dinner, I also prepare the ingredient to make Char Siu.

Easy char siu with hoisin sauce

Ingredients

• 600g pork butt (tenderloin and pork belly can also work)

• 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce

• 2 tbsp. light soy sauce

• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp. Chinese cooking wine or rose wine

• 1 tbsp. honey

• ¼ tsp. Chinese five spice powder

• 2 garlic, sliced

• 1 thumb ginger, sliced

Brushing ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. honey

• ½ tbsp. previously made char siu sauce

• ½ tbsp. hot water

• sesame oil for brushing (optional)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Firstly, poke some small holes in the pork butt so it can absorb the flavor better and cut into 2 cm wide and 4 cm thick long strips. Set aside and drain.

2. In a large bowl, mix hoisin sauce, cooking wine, honey, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and Chinese five spice. Give a big stir-fry to combine well.

3. Add garlic and ginger and pour the Char Siu sauce over the meat or you can use a bag. Turn over for 2-3 times during the marinating process. Keep in fridge for 24 to 48 hours.

4. Pre-heat oven to 200-degree C (around 400-degrees F)

5. Before baking, add around ½ tablespoon of warm water and ½ tablespoon of char siu sauce with 1 tablespoon of honey. Combine well.

6. Place the pork on grill and with a layered baking tray. Brush the honey water on both sides.

7. Place on middle track and back for 10 minutes. And re-brush the honey mixture on both sides again.

8. Roast again on middle track for another 10 minutes. If you want to harden the surface, move the grill to up track and roast for another 2 minutes.

9. Transfer out and brush some sesame oil on the surface. Cool down for 3-4 minutes and cut into slices.

It's the marinating process that took a long time before the dish can be served, so my preparation stops at the third step. But with this preparation, I can serve this dish two days later for my wife.

The clock already shows the time is 3.00 pm, it's time for us to go to the hospital for checking.

"Wifey, it's about time to go"

"Yes, hubby. I'll go to change first"

Ming Er goes upstairs to change her dress, and after waiting for ten minutes she goes downstairs wearing a long dress, she only applies light make up on her face.

"Hubby, let's go"

We take a taxi to go to the hospital. It took twenty minutes to arrive at the hospital. And after filling the registration, we're given queue number to wait our turn get an examination. Ming Er especially asks for a female doctor to examine her. While waiting our turn, I ask her why she asks for a female doctor

"Wifey, why you ask for a female doctor to examine you?"

"Ehmm…hubby, I don't want other men to touch my body except for hubby. Moreover, if that related to my private part"

"Um, I glad you think that way wifey, by the way, if anyone asks how long we've been married just say we already married for a couple months, okay?"

"Hubby, why…..ah, I understand. Thanks, hubby"

Ming Er looks at me with grateful eyes, well, she understands if she said we just married for a week but she already pregnant for two months that would make people thinking something negatives.

"You don't have to thank me wifey, it's your husband duty to protect your dignity"

"Um, I'm happy to marry you hubby. It's still some time before our turn, want to listen to music?"

"Okay"

Ming Er put an earphone in her handphone and play the music that saved on her phone. She put one plug in her ear and another plug in my ear. We listen to music together and Ming er lean her head in my shoulder while listening to the music. I don't realize there're several envious looks from some women that also waiting their turn in there. We still listening to the music until a nurse call us for our examination turn

"Mr. and Mrs. You, please come to the examination room"