Check out these tasty open-top dumplings! Siu Mai are a classic dim sum dish that will have you coming back for more!
What is Siu Mai?
This steamed dumpling is a traditional Chinese dish. Unlike other Chinese dumplings that are pleated and sealed, this dumpling is wrapped so that the pork and mushroom filling is still visible!
For an extra bit of flavour and visual aesthetic, there is often a pinch of fish roe placed on top of the Siu Mai. However, you can easily swap that out for the popular substitute, chopped up carrot.
The Dough
The wonton wrappers can be made from scratch using flour, egg, salt, and water. Or you can buy wonton wrappers ready-made from an Asian supermarket. Both are delicious, but if you are short on time, the supermarket bought ones might be the better option!
The Pork & Mushroom Filling
To make the juicy and flavourful filling, combine pork mince and mushroom as the two main ingredients. You could also add in some finely chopped up prawns too for a bit of umami. Now for the sauces.
- Soy sauce
- Shaoxing wine (Chinese wine)
- Fish sauce
- Oyster sauce
You could optionally add in some sesame oil and spring onions too. In order to ensure the filling is silky smooth, place a teaspoon of cornstarch into the mixture and combine until a paste has formed.
Wrapping Siu Mai
Although wrapping this dumpling might seem like a challenge, it really isn’t too tricky! Place a heaped teaspoon of the filling into the centre of a wonton wrapper and fold the wrapper up around the dumpling leaving the filling showing at the top. If there are excess bits of the wrapper, fold them back down by dabbing some water on the dumpling.
The Dipping Sauce
As always, the dipping sauce is one of my favourite things about dumplings. This one is simple, with only 4 ingredients: soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and sugar. I tend to cut up the ginger into small thin strips. Although, you could finely mince the ginger too if you like.
Cooking & Serving Siu Mai
Once you’ve wrapped up all of the dumplings, cut out a circle of baking paper and place it on your steamer so that the Siu Mai doesn't stick to the base. Alternatively, you could brush the steamer with oil.
Cook the dumplings for 10 minutes and then serve up with the dipping sauce and enjoy!
Want More Dumpling Recipes?
Check Out My Dumpling World Tour Series
I've set myself a challenge to go around the world in 80 dumplings. Why? Because so many countries share a love for dumplings and every country’s dumplings have their own unique twist. From Varenyky in Ukraine to Banh Bot Loc in Vietnam, dumplings are a way for us to celebrate various cultures and culinary differences from all parts of the globe.
Not all my dumpling recipes are up on my website, yet! So, if you’d like to check them out, head on over to my Instagram for the video tutorial and full recipe!
More Delicious Recipes from my Dumpling World Tour
Siu Mai (Chinese Dumpling)
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 150g plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- 20ml water
For The Filling
- 100g pork mince
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 5 mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Dipping Sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- A few thin strips of ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
For The Dough
- In a bowl, combine the dough ingredients. Use chopsticks to mix up the ingredients. Add more water if the dough is too dry. Knead for 5 minutes on a floured surface and then cover and set aside.
For The Filling
- In a bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients. Mix well until a silky and smooth paste has formed.
Wrapping The Dumplings
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough until 2-3mm thick. Cut the dough into equal squares (around 8), that are approximately 7cm wide.
- Place a heaped teaspoon of the filling into the centre of a wrapper. Cup the dumpling and seal the wrapper like a basket around the filling. You want the top of the filling to be uncovered. If you have any excess dough, just dab a bit of water onto the edge of the wrapper, fold it over and pat it down. Repeat this step until you have no dough or filling left. (If you're struggling with this step, feel free to hop on over to Instagram to watch the tutorial!).
Cooking & Serving
- Cut out a circular piece of baking paper with holes in it and place it in your steamer. You can alternatively brush your steamer with oil to avoid the Siu Mai sticking to the base.
- Place the Siu Mai into the steamer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine your dipping sauce ingredients.
- Remove the Siu Mai from the steamer and enjoy!
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