Preparation time: 45 minutes
Servings: 10
Do these little yellow dumplings look familiar to you? You may already have tasted siu mai in your favorite Chinese restaurant! Good news: it is super easy to make it at home! Try it!
INGREDIENTS
- 30 shao mai sheets
- 600g pork belly without rind
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp water
- 400g peeled shrimps
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1½ tsp potato starch
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1½ tsp sugar
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp cooking wine
- 1½ light soy sauce
- 2 tsp water
Toppings:
- 30 small peeled shrimps
- 1 Tbsp masago
Kitchen tools:
- Steamer
- Bamboo steamer
- Steaming paper
PREPARATION
Remove the shao mai sheets from the packaging and place them on a plate. Cover the sheets with a damp dishcloth and let it defrost slowly. Dry the shrimps with a paper towel and cut them into small pieces.
Put the shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and add hot water. Soak it until soft. Then squeeze out the excess moist and remove the stalks. Then chop the mushrooms into small cubes.
Slice the pork belly into thin strips and rinse the meat for about 5 minutes under cold, running water. The meat will become pale and it will get a solid structure. Then dry the meat with a paper towel and chop it finely, but not as fine as ground pork, so it still has a bite.
The filling
Mix the baking soda and water in a bowl. Add the mixture to the meat and mix well. Add the sliced shrimps to the meat and season with salt and white pepper. Mix all well and knead the meat mixture for about 15 minutes.
Then add the mushrooms, potato starch, chicken bouillon powder, sugar, sesame oil, cooking wine, soy sauce and water. Mix all ingredients well and knead for another 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture becomes cohesive and sticky. Put the meat-shrimp filling in the fridge and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Folding the dumplings
Make a loose fist and put a shao mai sheet on top. Then press your fingers in the middle of the sheet carefully, to shape a small ‘tub’. Press the sides tightly. Dip a teaspoon in a bowl with cold water. This will make the filling slide off the spoon more easily. Scoop 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle of the sheet.
Press the sheet to the meat and use your fingers to press the dumpling lightly. Keep the upside of the dumpling uncovered. Flatten the bottom carefully, so the dumpling will not tumble during steaming. Repeat the steps for the rest of the dumplings.
Steaming the dumplings
Place steaming paper in the bamboo steamer to prevent sticking. Place the dumplings in the bamboo steamer and put 1 small shrimp and 1 pinch of masago on each dumpling.
Bring the water in the steamer to a boil first. Then place the bamboo steamer in the large steamer. Steam the dumplings for about 6 to 8 minutes until done.