Chinese rose wine ✦

Alcool de rose chinois (mei kuei lu)

What it is

Sorghum spirit is steeped with rose petals and rock sugar and bottled at around fifty-four percent, strong enough that a spoonful is the whole dose. It is what makes Cantonese lap cheong smell of roses rather than of pork, and no rice or grain wine stands in for it.

In the kitchen

A teaspoon per 500 g of pork is the working dose in char siu; beyond that the rose turns soapy. Put it into the marinade cold, since heat drives the aroma off, and brush on another half-teaspoon at the end of the roasting so something reaches the table.

Goes with

Pork Honey Soy sauce Star anise Chinese five-spice Garlic Ginger Hoisin sauce

Same species

Rosehip Dried rosebuds Rose water

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