Plum & Tamarind Char Siu Bao Buns Recipe

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‘Tart’ is one of my favourite food words. I’m not sure what that says about me – but I am drawn to any ingredients that can be grouped under this heading. Both plum and tamarind are very much in this camp, offering up different ends of the tart spectrum – from cherry-nectar sweet, through to raspy-sour tropical. The glaze in this char siu recipe embraces both ends of that spectrum – and is equally wonderful with baked chicken, fish or vegetables.

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Recipe extracted from: Flavour Heroes by Gurdeep Loyal (Quadrille, £27), Photography © Patricia Niven

Ingredients for plum & tamarind char siu bao buns Serves: 4

550–650g pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons boiling water
8 bao buns

Ingredients for the marinade

3 tbsp plum sauce
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tsp Chinese five spice
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp white rice vinegar
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp smoked salt

Ingredients to serve

Kewpie mayonnaise
2 spring onions, finely chopped
pickled cucumbers or daikon, sliced

How to make plum & tamarind char siu bao buns

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
Place the pork loin in a deep roasting tray, then smother with the marinade – covering it all over. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3–4 hours, or ideally overnight, basting regularly.
Remove the pork loin from the oven to bring to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 175°C fan/195°C/390°F/Gas mark 5 1⁄2. Bake the pork loin for 35–40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes, and ensuring that
the sauce is not burning. If it is, cover the tray with foil.
Remove the tray from the oven then transfer
the cooked pork loin to a separate baking sheet – and keep the sauce in the tray.
Preheat the grill to high. Grill the pork for
5–7 minutes until charred on top but not burnt. Remove from the grill, slice into 1cm (1⁄2in) discs and spread out on a serving plate.
Add a couple of tablespoons of boiling water
to the roasting tray to deglaze the pan and whisk vigorously. If the sauce is too thin, warm on the hob to reduce to more of a thick syrup.
Heat the bao buns in a microwave or a steamer. Fill with slices of pork and drizzle over the sauce. Serve with mayo, spring onions, pickles of your choice and extra sauce on the side if you like.

About the author

Gurdeep Loyal is a British-born food writer and culinary consultant known for his bold fusion of British and Indian flavors. Raised in Leicester by Punjabi parents, his cooking reflects a rich blend of heritage and innovation. With experience leading food trends at major brands like Marks & Spencer and Harrods, he now shares his expertise through writing, consultancy, and his online platform, Mother Tongue, which celebrates hybrid culinary cultures.