Rising temperatures means it is time to declare barbecue season officially open. It is a welcome change from the biting cold of the long Beijing winter. Here in Shunyi, we are lucky to have enough space to set up a grill and enjoy some homemade barbecue in the evening breeze. Nearly every family has their favorite marinade, the go-to recipe that has everybody smiling the moment the scent starts to waft in the air.
For something different but equally delicious, enter the Chinese barbecue marinade. It’s very easy, really. Head over to the nearest Jenny Lou’s and pick up a bottle that reads kaorou jiang (烤肉酱 or "barbecue sauce").
This works well brushed on meat or vegetables before cooking once or twice throughout the grilling process. Do as the locals do and prepare a variety of meat skewers. If the recent chicken and lamb scares turn you off from meat chuan’r, then experiment with eggplant, tofu cubes, rolled-up tofu skin (dou pi), and mushrooms. Sliced and grilled mantou is also a mainstay of street-side barbecue joints. Who knew barbecued dough could be so tasty? For an extra kick, spread a thin layer of the marinade and sprinkle generously with cumin and red pepper flakes.
Find out where you can get the sauce here.
This post first appeared on May 18, 2013.
