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Siu Mai

Siu Mai

cooking.nytimes.com
A mainstay of dim sum, siu mai are open-faced steamed dumplings filled with juicy, seasoned pork, and sometimes shrimp and shiitake mushrooms, like in this version. Dim sum, a variety of small dishes meant to be shared, roughly means heart’s delight in Cantonese. Its origins are thought to date back to the tea houses along the Silk Road in Southern China where weary travelers shared small bites of food alongside their tea. Unlike other more intricate dumplings, wrapping siu mai is not too fussy. For their signature buttery hue, use round, yellow dumpling wrappers, sometimes labeled “Hong Kong Style.” Adding cornstarch to the meat filling is a Chinese culinary technique called velveting, which ensures the meat is juicy with a silken, velvety texture. For added contrast, add chopped water chestnuts to the filling. Top the siu mai with fish roe (or finely chopped carrot) for a pop of color, and serve with black vinegar, soy sauce and chile paste for dipping.
  • Preparation:
  • Cooking:
  • Total:
  • Serves: 32 persons

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Step 1

    If using frozen dumpling wrappers, remove them from the freezer.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium, heatproof bowl, soak the mushrooms in 2 cups of boiling water until rehydrated and soft, about 10 minutes. Lift the mushrooms out of the liquid and, using your hands, squeeze out any excess liquid. Remove and discard the stems, finely chop the caps and set aside. Place the shrimp in a small bowl, rinse with cold water and drain. Chop the shrimp into about 1/4-inch pieces.

  3. Step 3

    Prepare the filling: Place the mushrooms, shrimp, pork, ginger, oyster sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. With chopsticks, a fork or your hands, mix the filling in one direction (always to the left or to the right — this helps the filling stick together), until thoroughly combined and sticky, about 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Cut or punch small holes in parchment paper and line a bamboo steamer (you can also use cabbage or lettuce leaves). If using a metal steamer, lightly spray with oil.

  5. Step 5

    Assemble the siu mai: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly dampen a couple of paper towels and set aside. Place one wrapper on a cutting board or a plate. Cover the other wrappers with one of the damp towels so they don’t dry out.

  6. Step 6

    Place 1 slightly heaping tablespoon (about 1 ounce) of filling in the middle of the wrapper (If using square wrappers, see Tip.). With the wrapper sitting on your work surface, use your fingertips to crimp the edges, making 7 to 8 pleats around the filling, leaving the top open.

  7. Step 7

    With your non-dominant hand, make a circle with your thumb and index finger. Place the dumpling in the circle and gently squeeze the middle of the dumpling to let the air out and to squeeze some of the filling up to the very top. The pleats should fold in on themselves.

  8. Step 8

    Using a butter knife, level out the top so it’s flat. Using the fingers of your dominant hand, flatten the bottom of the dumpling, place on the prepared sheet, cover with the other damp towel and continue with the rest. When you’re comfortable with wrapping, you can skip keeping the wrapper on your work surface and begin the process by placing the wrapper directly on your non-dominant hand.

  9. Step 9

    Steam the dumplings: Place the dumplings in the prepared steamer. You will need to steam in batches. Fill a large pan or wok with enough water for steaming, about 2 cups (or follow instructions for your steamer). Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Steam the dumplings, covered, for 7 minutes. Transfer the siu mai to a serving dish.

  10. Step 10

    Top the siu mai with a little tobiko. To serve, provide individual small bowls for everyone to add soy sauce, black vinegar and chile paste for mixing and dipping.
NY Times
cooking.nytimes.com