How to make pork and shrimp Siu Mai, a Classic Chinese Dim Sum Dumpling

By Shao Z. From Serious Eats

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Chinese pork and shrimp siu mai. [Photographs Shao Z.]

Along with har gow (crystal shrimp dumplings), Chinese pork and shrimp siu mai are a dim sum classic. It is the first item I look for whenever I’m at a dim sum restaurant—yum cha (morning tea, of which dim sum is a part) would just not be complete with out a few bamboo steamers of siu mai on the table.

Wrapped in a thin sheet of dough and shaped like a squat cylinder, siu mai are typically filled with both pork and shrimp, though some are made only with shrimp or scallop, and there’s also a Shanghai variety that’s stuffed with glutinous rice. Sometimes bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, or dehydrated shiitake mushrooms are diced and added to the mixture. My favorite siu mai has always been the simplest ones, filled with just ground pork, chopped shrimp, and pork fat—the key ingredient for juicy and flavorful dumplings.

For the pork fat, my first choice is fatback. If it comes with the skin attached, make sure to slice that off first before finely dicing the fat (If you are purchasing it from a butcher, they can usually skin it for you). If you can’t find fatback, ground pork belly is also a good way to add fat to the filling.

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Finely ground pork and pork fat.

I finely grind both the pork and the fatback, but the shrimp I like to keep in slightly larger bits. A food processor works well for all three: The pork and fatback can go in together, while the shrimp should be pulsed separately, then they all can be mixed together to form the filling. Before processing the shrimp, though, I first marinate it briefly in cold water with baking soda, which helps to make the shrimp extra plump.

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Chopped shrimp.

Once the pork, pork fat, and shrimp are together, I season with mixture with sesame oil, salt, white pepper, Shaoxing wine, and some ginger, plus a bit of cornstarch for additional binding power.

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Without the wrapper, a naked siu mai would just be a meatball. Like with wontons, the wrappers used for siu mai are very thin, and indeed, store-bought wonton wrappers work well.

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Extra-thin (left) and vegetable (right) wonton wrappers.

I try to get extra-thin ones, but if you can’t find them, regular wrappers will also work. In the photos here, I used both extra-thin wonton wrappers and vegetable wonton wrappers (which are basically just green regular wonton wrappers).

Once you have the filling and the wrappers ready, it’s time to wrap.

One of the hardest parts of dumpling making is wrapping the darned thing. Thankfully with siu mai, the process is pretty straightforward:

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First, place a wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand.

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Place a ball of stuffing in the middle.

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Then bring two opposite corners towards the middle, gently squeezing them into place.

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Now bring the remaining two corners together and squeeze once more to form a little wrinkled cup around the filling.

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That’s it, you’ve just made one!

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Keep going and you’ll have a whole batch.

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For a finishing touch, I like to put a thinly sliced round of carrot on the bottom of each siu mai, as well as a small pile of chopped carrot on top. Traditionally, crab roe is used on top, but since the purpose of the roe is more for color and less for flavor, I like to replace it with minced carrots. Other garnish options include tobiko (flying fish roe), ikura (salmon roe), peas, or chopped scallion. If you’re planning to use tobiko or ikura, add those at the end, after the siu mai are cooked and out of the steamer.

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To steam the dumplings, make sure to line the tray or basket with parchment paper or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking.

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Siu mai can be cooked fresh, but they can also be frozen and then cooked straight from frozen, which only takes a few minutes longer than for fresh ones.

Usually, siu mai require no dipping sauce. If you do want to whip up something quick, keep it simple—a splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, and some fresh chopped scallions on the side is what I would recommend. Not only are siu mai quick to wrap and steam, these meaty little dumplings take even less time to consume.

Recipe:

Siu mai, the Chinese steamed pork and shrimp dumplings, are one of the most popular items at dim sum parlors. But you don’t have to go out just to enjoy them, because they’re one of the easiest dumplings to make at home.

Why this recipe works:

Pork fat makes the filling incredibly juicy and flavorful.
Soaking the shrimp in baking-soda water ensures they are even mroe plump when cooked.
Note: For a pop of color, I put minced carrots on top of the siu mai and a thin round of sliced carrot on the bottom, but tobiko (flying fish roe), ikura (salmon roe), peas, or chopped scallion can also be used to top each siu mai; if using tobiko or ikura, add those at the end when the siu mai are out of the steamer. To freeze siu mai, arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and transfer to freezer until frozen, about 30 minutes. Transfer siu mai to a zipper-lock bag and keep in freezer until ready to use. To cook frozen dumplings, add to steamer while still frozen and cook until done, about 10 minutes.

Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai (Steamed Chinese Dumplings)

About This Recipe
YIELD:
Makes about 15 dumplings
ACTIVE TIME:
1 hour
TOTAL TIME:
2 hours
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
food processor, steamer

THIS RECIPE APPEARS IN:
How to Make Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai, a Classic Chinese Dim Sum Dumpling
Ingredients

1/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 pound bonesless pork, such as shoulder, cut into large cubes
2 ounces pork fat, such as fatback or fatty belly, finely diced
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh peeled ginger
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 package extra-thin wonton wrappers or regular wonton wrappers
1 large carrot, thinly sliced into 15-20 rounds and the rest finely minced (optional, see note above)

Procedures

1 In a medium bowl, cover shrimp with cold water and stir in baking soda. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse shrimp under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels.

2 Place the shrimp in a food processor and pulse 10 times, until coarsely chopped. Transfer shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Add pork and pork fat to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer pork to bowl with shrimp.

3 Add white pepper, salt, cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger, and sugar to the pork and shrimp, and, using a spatula or chopsticks, mix well until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

4 To wrap the siu mai, place 1 wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Bring two opposite corners towards each other, and press gently to adhere them to filling. Repeat with remaining 2 corners to form a little cup around the filling, gently squeezing to hold wrapper in place. Place one carrot round (if using) on the bottom of each siu mai, add a little bit of the minced carrot on top, and transfer to a plate. Continue wrapping the remaining siu mai. The siu mai can be frozen now (see note above) or cooked; note that frozen siu mai are best made without the carrot rounds on the bottom.

5 To steam, line your steamer basket or tray with parchment paper (Napa cabbage laves can also work). Pour enough water into your steaming pot or wok so that the water is about 1 inch below the bottom of the steamer basket or tray. Bring to a boil.

6 Arrange siu mai in the steamer tray, leaving room around each one and steaming in batches if necessary. Steam fresh siu mai until cooked through, about 7 minutes.

7 Transfer to a plate. Serve. (Note that siu mai are traditionally served without a dipping sauce, though if you prefer one, mix soy sauce with a little sesame oil and fresh scallions and serve alongside.)

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