Red yeast rice powder is a natural red food color that doesn’t impart any flavor. It’s typically used to give Cantonese roast meats their signature color. You can substitute 1 teaspoon red gel food color for it if you prefer or omit it if you’re fine with the color being browner than what you see in Cantonese restaurants. Maltose is a thick sweet syrup that’s somewhat like corn syrup and is often used to give Cantonese meats their glossy finish. It can be found online or in Asian grocery stores. If you do use maltose instead of honey, we recommend stirring it with 2 tablespoons of hot water to loosen it and make it easier to brush on.