Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai

After years of steaming foods on a plate placed on a rack in a pot of simmering water, I finally bought a bamboo steamer. Both methods (the Macgyver version I’ve always used, and the bamboo) yield the same result, so you don’t need fancy equipment to be able to make siu mai.

I found siu mai wrappers at our local Super H Mart, but if you can’t find them you can use won ton wrappers, which are available in most grocery stores.

Most siu mai recipes use pork fat mixed into the filling, but I have always used shrimp in place of it. It comes out less greasy and I like the extra springy texture it gives the dumplings. I did use ground pork with 20% fat, so it isn’t too lean to the point of being dry when cooked. I also used chopped shiitake mushrooms in the filling, but if you don’t prefer mushrooms (I know a lot of people don’t) you can omit them if you wish.

This recipe will make around 25 dumplings. If you don’t choose to steam all of them for one meal, you can freeze them for later, and I have directions on how to do that below. Cooking times vary between fresh and frozen siu mai; Steaming fresh dumplings will only take 6 minutes on high heat, and it will take approximately 10 minutes for frozen ones.

Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai

makes 25 dumplings

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. ground pork (80% lean)
8 large shrimp, chopped into a paste
4 shiitake mushrooms, finely diced
1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cooking wine
1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
green peas and finely diced carrots
package of siu mai or won ton skins

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine everything except the last two ingredients.
Place a spoonful of filling on the center of the wrapper. Press the filling down firmly with a spoon, and pinch the edges together to make a waist. Put either one green pea or one carrot in the center of the filling, and press until it is barely visible inside the filling. Repeat until all the dumplings are made.
Line a steamer with wax or parchment paper. Place dumplings into steamer, being careful to give them space so they don’t stick together. Fill a pot with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Place steamer above the water (so the bottom of the pot isn’t immersed in water) and cover with lid. Steam for 6 minutes or until filling is no longer pink. Serve immediately.

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Instructions with Photos:

Line the steamer with wax or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine everything except the last two ingredients.

Place a spoonful of filling on the center of the wrapper.

Press the filling down firmly with a spoon, and pinch the edges together to make a waist.

Put either one green pea or one carrot in the center of the filling, and press until it is barely visible inside the filling.

Repeat until all the dumplings are made.

Place dumplings into steamer, being careful to give them space so they don’t stick together. Fill a pot with a few inches of water and bring to a boil.

Place steamer above the water (so the bottom of the pot isn’t immersed in water) and cover with lid. Steam for 6 minutes or until filling is no longer pink. Serve immediately.

For any extra dumplings you aren’t planning on cooking , place on a wax or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place into the freezer for at least 30 minutes or until frozen solid.

Put dumplings in a freezer bag. When ready to steam, do so for 10 minutes.

I always considered the pea or carrot as a timer for when the filling was entirely cooked, because the firmer the meat filling became, the more it would push the pea or carrot upward.

I served my siu mai with a dipping sauce which consisted of equal parts low sodium soy sauce and vinegar, a splash of sesame oil, and topped with some chopped green onions.