Siu Mai (Shumai) Chinese pork & prawn steamed dumplings
Siu Mai (Shumai) are delicious steamed pork and prawn (shrimp) dim sum. A favourite amongst Yum Cha enthusiasts. Luckily these dumplings are incredibly easy to make at home.
Special Equipment
- steamer or steamer baskets
Ingredients
- 150 grams (5 oz) prawn/shrimp meat | If buying whole raw prawns with the shell you need to purchase roughly 300 grams. Remove heads, shell and clean the prawns.
- 3 teaspoons bicarb soda
- 3 whole dried shitake mushrooms
- 350 grams (13 oz) pork mince | on the fatty side or minced pork belly
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 teaspoons cornflour/cornstarch
- 1½ tablespoons (6 teaspoons) Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon (4 teaspoons) vegetable oil | omit if using minced pork belly
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger and juice
- 2 green onions/shallots/scallions | white & pale green part only, finely chopped
- 1 packet yellow wonton wrappers
- 1 carrot | finely diced
Instructions
- Put the dried shitake mushrooms in a medium bowl. Cover with boiling water, and then weigh the mushrooms down with a small bowl. They will need to soak for at least 30 minutes.Once rehydrated give them a squeeze to remove excess liquid. Cut the stem from the underside of the shitake and discard. Then finely chop the mushroom caps. Place them in the fridge until it is time to make the filling.
- Place peeled and cleaned prawns in a medium-size bowl with cold water. Add bicarb soda/baking soda and mix thoroughly. Cover the prawns and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes.After 30 minutes remove the prawns from the fridge and drain. Rinse them well under cold water and dry with paper towel. Chop prawns finely on a cutting board and then place them back into the fridge until you are ready to make the siu mai filling.
- Add finely chopped shitake mushroom and prawn into a large glass bowl along with all the other ingredients. Except obviously the wonton wrappers.
- Mix siu mai filling thoroughly with a spoon or your hands.I find it easier to mix the filling by hand. I put on a disposable rubber glove as I hate getting the mixture under my fingernails.The mixture will become "pasty" and well combined.
- Fill the wonton wrappers with 1 tablespoon of filling.See detailed notes below on how to fold siu mai and an alternative folding method.This is where many hands make light work. Get others involved!
- Place a few pieces of finely diced carrot on top of each siu mai.
- Place wontons in a lined steamer basket (see instructions on making steamer basket liners below). Make sure to leave some space between each siu mai to prevent sticking and allowing the steam to circulate for even cooking.
- Fill wok or suitable pot with water and bring the water to a simmer. Then put the steamer baskets on top and cover with a lid.Steam the siu mai for 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
Notes
SIU MAI TOPPINGS
Alternative toppings often used instead of carrot are tobiko (flying fish roe), ikura (salmon roe), or even peas. The main aim is to add colour. You don't have to add a topping if you don't want to.
If using tobiko or ikura, add this after the siu mai have been steamed. Just like the carrot add a pea to the top of the dumpling before steaming. You could even use frozen peas if that is what you have.
HOW TO FOLD SIU MAI
- Place a wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand
- Spoon roughly a tablespoon of filling onto the wonton wrapper. If your wrappers are larger you may need a little more filling.
- If needed shape the filling so it is round.
- Bring two opposite corners of the wrapper towards each other and push them against the filling so they stick. It will look a bit like a wonton taco.
- Repeat with the other two wrapper corners.
- Dab a finger in a little water and use that to stick down any wrapper folds not adhering to the siu mai.
- If you want your siu mai to have the appearance that you have used round wrappers. This gives the dumplings a smooth finish on top (see image below). Fold down the wrapper corners that are sticking up and stick to the sides of the dumplings with a little bit of water if needed.
Note: As you can see from the steamed siu mai photos, I don't bother with this step and have ragged or frilly dumpling tops. They taste just as delicious and saves you the extra work. - Put dumpling on a flat surface and push down gently to flatten the bottom. Place siu mai in a lined steamer basket ready to steam.
- Cut a length of baking/parchment paper that is the same width as your steamer basket.
- Fold the paper in half.
- Fold the paper in half again along the folded edge.
- Fold the paper in half again to so it starts to form a triangle. How triangle it looks will depend on the starting width and length of the paper.
- Fold in half again.
- Fold in half once more.
- Place the point of the folded paper in the middle of the steamer basket.
- Cut the folded paper where it comes to the inside edge of the basket.
- To form the holes in the liner cut triangles out of one side of the folded paper. Cut the pointy tip off the end.
- Unfold the paper and you will have a circle with holes in it that fits inside the steamer basket.
- 1 teaspoon equals 5ml
- 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml (Nth America, NZ & UK use 15ml tablespoons)
- 1 cup equals 250ml (Nth America use 237ml)
- 4 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon
- I use the below unless specified in my recipes;
Nutrition
Calories: 43kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 196mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 350IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
Did You Make This Recipe?I do a happy dance when people share how they went. Tag me on Instagram or Twitter @bellyrumbles & #bellyrumbles