The Cantonese roasted pork dish whose red color comes from seasonings such as red fermented bean curd or food coloring is char siu.
Char siu, also spelled cha siu, is a Cantonese preparation of seasoned pork roasted on forks or skewers. Its name refers to the traditional fork-roasting method. The meat is commonly marinated with ingredients such as honey or maltose, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, Chinese wine, and five-spice powder.
The characteristic red exterior can come from red fermented bean curd, whose color is associated with red yeast rice. Modern commercial preparations also frequently use red food coloring, sometimes alongside or instead of fermented bean curd. The glaze gives the pork a glossy surface and a sweet-savory flavor.
Char siu is different from siu yuk, which is Cantonese crispy roast pork with crackling skin. It is also not zha jiang mian, a noodle dish topped with fermented soybean sauce, or lap cheong, a cured Chinese sausage. Char siu is often sliced over rice, added to noodle dishes, or used as a filling for char siu bao.