Shumai | Siu Mai 燒賣
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I know it seems an eternity since I shared a recipe on this site and I do apologize for the lack of activity and I thank you for your patience. I hate to pull an excuse for not writing often but I was tied up with something pretty interesting and you can read about it here.
With that out of the way, let’s talk about today’s recipe.
Dim Sum dishes are no strangers to this site but what’s strange is that I haven’t shared a recipe on one of the most well-known dim sum dish – Shumai.
Shumai 燒賣 or Sui Mai is a traditional steamed open-faced-dumpling found throughout China. Like basically every dish in China, Shumai comes with different flavors and many regional variations. The most popular version, the Cantonese style, is generally stuffed with all kinds of meat. On the other hand, the Nothern Chinese style, often called ShaoMai in mandarin Chinese, is commonly stuffed with a mixture of sticky rice and meat. And of course, there are vegetarian shumai and shumai made different wrappers…I can go on for another 5 minutes but for today’s purpose let’s just stick with the Cantonese style.
The recipe does look a little overwhelming at first, but practice makes it perfect. Also the below diagram should help you understand the technical part:
This recipe is very versatile. Personally I enjoy the shrimp and pork combination but you can substitute with almost any other kind of meat of your choice. But if you want your shumai juicy, it seems some addition of pork always does the trick. Also, the wrapper I used for this recipe is the same kind as the wonton wrapper. You are welcome to use dumpling wrapper if that’s the only thing you have but I find the dumpling wrapper a tad too doughy for this dish.
Since this is a long recipe I’ll stop right here. Happy cooking!
Shumai | Siu Mai 燒賣
Yield: 20-30
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 50
Ingredients:
- 12oz pork, sliced
- 6oz shrimp, de-shelled and cleaned
- 2 scallion, chopped
- 1 slice ginger, chopped
- half medium carrot, grated
- 2 shiitake mushroom, reconstituted and sliced
- 30 wonton wrapper
- tobiko (flying fish role) for garnishing (optional)
Seasoning:
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 egg
Directions:
To make the filling. In a food processor, add mushroom, scallions, ginger, carrots and process until coarse. Alternatively, finely chop all the ingredients on a cutting board.
Add pork and shrimp and all seasoning ingredients to the food processor and process until the ingredients are finely chopped and turned into a smooth paste. Alternatively, finely chop all the meat on a cutting board.
Combine the seasoning ingredients with all the chopped meat in a large mixing bowl and mix with a spatula until the mixture turns smooth.
The filling can be made ahead of time and stored in a fridge overnight.
To assemble the shumai, place a piece of wonton wrapper on your palm.
Scope 1.5 tbsp of filling and place in the center of the wrapper.
Slowly fold up the edges of the wrapper using index and thumb
At the same time, use a butter knife to gently press down the filling so the filling doesn't drop
Once the edges of wrapper stick to the center filling, gently rotate the shumai to form a cylinder without enclosing the top. If the wrapper doesn’t stick to the filling, wet the edges with some water before folding up.
Set a parchment paper lined steamer over boiling water, steam shumai in batches for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a platter and serve hot. Optionally, top the shumai with some tobiko before serving.
If you like spicy, try dipping it into Sriracha sauce!
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I know that you can put different things on the top of Siu Mai. I tried Siu Mai at some Chinese restataurant and it had something very pale pink-orange on the top. It wasn’t a fish roy or carrot but something like protein – cooked egg white, cooked minced chicken, something soft in texture and taste.
Do you what it could be?
Another question. It said somewhere that chefs add yellow colourant to the wrapper to make them look slightly yellow. What natural product can you add to make it look slightly pale yellow.
Can you also give your receipt for the wrappers for Siu Mai (I don’t always have a chance to buy wrappers, Chibese shop is too far away)
Hi there, thanks for checking out the recipe. Regarding the soft topping you mentioned, it could be minced chicken or minced shrimp combined with minced pork fat. I haven’t seen it often enough to be 100% sure. For the wrapper, you can make it yellow by using whole eggs only (no water). the wrapper can be somewhat recreated using an Italian fresh pasta recipe (just search online). Hope this helps.
Looking forward to trying this one day, reminds me very much of the pork hash in Hawaii.
Thanks for visiting Kelly. Please let me know how you like the Shumai if you get to make it.
Hi Yi, I do not succed in shaping Sui Mai beautifully as yours , so sorry but the taste was good i loved very much. Thanks a lot. Congrats to China and the winner Shi Tingmao . Wonderful!!
Oops sorry Siu Mai.
You are welcome Anna. I am sure the next time you make Siu Mai, it will come out perfect!
Gee, I usually think of dim sum as being much too elaborate to attempt at home, but these actually look easy! Might just try it out.
Thanks Frank. It’s great to hear from you! Yes I am happy to be back sharing recipe again!
nice! i always check your website coz the recipes here are the best, tried them and they always come out great, among the best in the net, and i shop around for recipes. Glad that you’re back! and of course, will make this this week. Thanks a bunch. Hafa Adai from Guam!
Hi Mary, thanks for following my blog all the way from Guam! I am so glad that the recipes on this site worked out for you. Please let me know how you like this Shumai recipe!
Hi Yi, wellcome back we really miss you. I hope I’ll try your last recipe that looks easy and flavorful . Congratulation for your work, must have been a tour de force as I understand . It is always a pleasure to read and follow your blog. Thnks from Venice.
Hi Anna, thanks for the kind words. I look forward to sharing more recipes too!
Ah so wonderful to see shumai. This was well written and the pictures are very helpful. It is easier that I thought. Thank you!
Thanks Mai. Been meaning to share this recipe for a while and finally found the time to do so. Hope you get to try it!
glad! TO SEE YOU BACK. Missed your posts! hug from Sweden
Thanks Michael for your regard from Sweden!
Awesome! You make homemade Siu Mai seem so easy and fun, Yi.
Thanks Angie.
Looks fantastic! My food processor died so I’ll have to be creative. I’ll have to finely hand-mince veggies. Hey, that’s what was done back in the day! Lol!
Thanks Chieko. Agreed that’s definitely how it was done back in the days (and I think it will taste better too)!
Welcome back! 🙂 Love Sui Mai. And yours look excellent — really nice recipe. I haven’t made these in ages, and now you have me craving them. Good stuff — thanks so much.
Thanks John. It feels great to be able to blog again:)