Siu Mai EXACTLY like Dim Sum

Juicy pork and prawn filling wrapped in a thin wonton wrapper, these are the best siu mai you'll ever make and they taste exactly like Dim Sum

Jump to:

• What are Siu Mai?
• Ingredients
• Seasonings
• How to make siu mai
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Pork and Prawn Siu Mai

What are Siu Mai?

Siu mai (aka Shumai, Shāo Mài, 烧卖) is a traditional Chinese dumpling originating from Cantonese cuisine typically served at Yum Cha (or Dim Sum in the US). They are typically made of pork and prawn, but there are different variations depending on the region of China.

Essentially it is a cup-shaped dumpling with an open top filled with a mixture of proteins, and other ingredients like mushrooms, vegetables, or even glutinous rice.

Ingredients

Proteins

• Pork shoulder: Pork shoulder is a great cut of meat to use for shumai as it has a good ratio of fat and lean meat. You can also use pork neck for a leaner sui mai. Pork belly will also work great
• White shrimp: Use medium or large shrimp for this recipe. The bigger the shrimp the better the mouthfeel or bounce in your siu mai

• Pork fat: Pork fat helps to give the sui mai a juicer texture, and better mouthfeel. Pork lard also works great here.
• Shiitake mushroom: I use dried and soaked shiitake mushrooms as they have a delicious flavor and fragrance

• Dried scallops: If you have dried scallops on hand soak them and add them for extra flavor. This is optional but adds to a great-tasting siu mai

Seasonings

• Salt: Salt is important as you need it to season the siu mai. We've tested this recipe for the perfect amount of salt
• Sugar: Sugar helps to balance out the flavor and add a touch of sweetness
• White pepper: White pepper adds a delicious depth of flavor to your dish
• YumYum: This is my special blend of MSG which helps to enhance the flavor of the dish to bring it to a whole nother level. If you don't have any you can purchase it here, or use MSG instead

• Chicken bouillon powder: Chicken powder adds more flavor to the dish, bringing another layer of umami
• Shaoxing wine: Shaoxing wine is important as it removes the pork flavor from the siu mai filling. It also adds a delicious fragrance
• Sesame oil: Sesame oil adds a nutty aroma to the filling

• Potato starch: Potato starch absorbs the moisture from the filling and helps to bind the ingredients together
• Tobiko: Aka flying fish roe, this just adds a pop of color to the tops of your dumplings. If you don't have any on hand you can also use a little grated carrot

How to make siu mai

Roughly chop up the pork shoulder with your knife. Make sure you don't chop it up too finely as you want to feel the individual chunks of pork.

Then add the pork to a mixing bowl and knead the pork for about 7 minutes until it becomes sticky. You should be able to see white strands of protein on the sides of your bowl.

Add the prawns, mushrooms, and seasoning to the pork mixture, and continue to knead until the mixture forms a ball.

Cut the wonton wrappers into an octagonal shape like above.

Add 1 tablespoon of filling to the center of a wonton wrapper using a fork. Then gently press it into the center.

Form an "O" with your thumb and first finger and place the siu mai into the center. This forces the sides of the sui mai to fold up and take shape.

Squeeze the sides of the sui mai to compact the filling, and then use the fork to press down the top of the sui mai.

Top the sui mai with flying fish roe, or a little bit of grated carrot. Then place them in a steamer lined with a piece of baking paper. Make sure the baking paper has holes cut out as this helps the sui mai cook evenly.

Steam them in a bamboo steamer or any kind of steamer for 10-12 minutes, or until they are completely cooked through.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sauce should I serve with my siu mai?

Siu mai is usually served with chili oil, hoisin sauce, or chili paste. It varies depending on the part of the world you're from. You can change it up depending on your preferences.

How do I store the leftovers?

If you made too many siu mai I recommend freezing the leftover uncooked siu mai in an airtight container in the freezer. When you are ready to eat, take them out of the freezer. Then put them directly into the steamer for 13-15 minutes, or until cooked through.

If you have leftovers after steaming place them in an airtight container in the fridge and consume them within 2 days. You can reheat them in a steamer or microwave. Keep in mind that with this method the dumplings won't be as juicy or bouncy.

Why are my siu mai soggy?

There are a couple of reasons why your siu mai is soggy:

• There was too much moisture in the meat: Make sure your ingredients are dry before adding them to the filling, whether that be the mushroom or prawns
• Your steamer wasn't hot enough: If you place the siu mai into the steamer before it's hot enough will cause the wrapper to become wet
• There weren't holes cut in the baking paper that lined the steamer: This will cause the water to pool up in the middle of the steamer

What kind of wonton skins should I buy?

When buying wonton wrappers for siu mai make sure you buy the yellow egg pastry wrappers. This gives the siu mai that iconic yellow skin. You also have to make sure the wrappers aren't too thin, otherwise it'll be too difficult to assemble.

Below are a selection of wonton wrappers from the local Asian market. Look for the yellow pastry that says egg pastry. In this case, it's the one in the bottom right corner.

Why are my siu mai dry?

There are a few reasons why your siu mai is dry:

• Not enough fat in the pork
• The meat wasn't mixed for long enough. The protein that is built during the mixing process helps to keep the moisture in
• The siu mai were overcooked

How come my siu mai aren't springy?

Springiness is one of the most important factors for a delicious siu mai. There are a couple of reasons why yours aren't springy:

• The meat hasn't been mixed enough for the protein to come out
• The mixture was overmixed, causing the meat to break up too much, losing its bouncy mouthfeel
• The mixture is too dry and there isn't enough fat in the meat or you skipped the added pork lard/fat. If this is the case add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to the mixture.

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