Handmade Dimsum 3 Recipe

Make dough

In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Pour the boiling water into the flour while stirring with a wooden spoon or chopsticks until the mixture becomes shaggy. Add the cold water and vegetable oil and continue mixing until a rough dough forms.

Knead

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic. If dough feels too dry, add up to 1 tsp more cold water; if too sticky, dust with a little flour.

Rest

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature to relax the gluten.

Roll and cut

Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces (about 48 total). Lightly flatten each piece with your palm, then roll into a thin circle about 3.5–4 inches (9–10 cm) across, thinner at the edges and slightly thicker in the center. Keep finished wrappers covered with a damp towel so they don’t dry out.

Prepare ingredients

If using dried shiitake, rehydrate in warm water for 20 minutes, squeeze out excess water and mince. Coarsely chop the shrimp and set aside. Finely chop green onions and dice water chestnuts. Separate one egg and reserve the white.

Combine filling

In a chilled bowl, add ground pork, chopped shrimp, minced shiitake, green onions, water chestnuts, grated ginger, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, cornstarch, egg white, salt, white pepper and sugar. Fold ingredients together using a spatula or your hands until they form a cohesive, slightly sticky mixture—about 1–2 minutes. Do not overmix; you want the filling to be tacky so it binds when steamed.

Test and adjust

Take a small piece of filling and pan-fry it until cooked through to taste for seasoning. Adjust salt or soy as needed. If mixture seems loose, add 1 tsp cornstarch; if too firm, add 1 tsp water.

Portion

Scoop about 1 tablespoon (around 20–25 g) of filling for each dumpling. Keep the remaining filling chilled while you work to maintain texture and food safety.

Assemble siu mai

Place a wrapper on your palm, put the tablespoon of filling in the center, and press down slightly. Bring the wrapper edges up around the filling, leaving the top exposed, pleating the wrapper as you rotate the dumpling to create a ruffled cup. Gently press the top to compact the filling and leave an open top. Top each dumpling with a small carrot round or minced carrot for color.

Make dipping sauce

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, black vinegar and chili oil. Taste and adjust — more vinegar for tang, more chili oil for heat. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with torn cilantro if using.

Prepare garnish

Slice carrot into thin rounds and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge into ice water. Use these as the small tops for each dumpling.

Arrange siu mai

Line steamer trays with parchment paper (pierce a few small holes) or cabbage leaves. Place assembled siu mai on the liner about 1 cm apart; they will not expand much but need air circulation.

Steam

Bring 500 ml water in the steamer pot to a rolling boil. Place the steamer basket over the boiling water, cover, and steam siu mai over high heat for 6–8 minutes (for 20–25 g filled dumplings) until pork is cooked through and shrimp is opaque. Do not lift the lid during the first 5 minutes to maintain steam.

Finish

Carefully remove the steamer from heat. Let dumplings rest for 1 minute, then transfer to a serving plate. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.