Baby pig on the fire

The Cantonese roast suckling pig is a thing of beauty. Its burnished skin is bronzed and sparkling, ready to break into crisp shards at the touch of a sharp knife. The meat, tender and full-flavored after being marinated by a battery of seasoning including a special sauce named after royalty.

Among the delicious roasted meats of Guangdong, my favorite is the roasted suckling pig. This dish has been listed as one of the 10 most famous dishes in the southern province, already known as a gourmet paradise.

The roast suckling pig holds an important position in rites and rituals as well. It is used for every festival that includes ancestor worship, and is a mandatory dish in a wedding banquet, as proof of the bride's virginity. It is also the main dish for the opening of businesses, house-warming or landmark birthdays.

In many restaurants in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, the suckling pig is a signature dish and a major attraction for diners.

The whole roasted suckling pig has a very long history, and it is honored by the expression, Hongyun dangtou, that translates to "riding on the crest of good fortune".

In Guangdong, where the locals firmly believe you are what you eat, roasted meats get popular in autumn, when the cool breezes blow. In summer, these foods are considered "too heaty" and will induce excessive heat in the body.

Now is the season to enjoy barbecued meats - including roasted chickens, ducks and geese.

To roast a whole suckling pig is a tedious time-consuming process that will take almost an hour on the fire.

First, chefs apply a marinade of spices and seasoning to the cavity. This will include zhuhou sauce, a Cantonese-style seasoning that is made from soybean, water, salt, sugar, flour, soy sauce, garlic and starch.

It is so good that it has been awarded royalty status. "Zhuhou" sounds very similar to "duke" in Chinese.

After the cavity is marinated, the skin is dried and repeatedly coated with a malt syrup before it is slow-roasted over a fire for 15 minutes. Finally the whole pig is roasted for another 30 minutes in the special oven over charcoal.

In the suburbs, many farm restaurants cook their meats over a wood fire using lychee wood, It is a fragrant wood with the bouquet of that famous fruit, and restaurants here claim their roast meats are better than urban restaurants for that reason.

Contact the writer at zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn.