Steamed Shumai Recipe

Prepare shrimp and aromatics

Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Finely chop the shrimp into small pieces (or pulse briefly in a food processor in 2–3 short bursts) until you have a coarse paste—don’t over-process. Finely chop the water chestnuts, rehydrated shiitake (if using), and thinly slice the green onions. Grate the ginger and garlic.

Combine chopped shrimp, ground pork, water chestnuts, mushrooms, green onion, grated ginger and garlic in a medium bowl.

Add soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, egg white, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper to the bowl. Mix vigorously with a spatula or wooden spoon, folding repeatedly until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive (about 1–2 minutes). This helps the filling bind and retain moisture during steaming. Taste one small piece by lightly steaming or microwaving a small portion and adjust seasoning if needed.

Prepare your workstation: have a damp kitchen towel, a small bowl of water, and the wonton wrappers ready. Lightly oil a bamboo or metal steamer basket and line with parchment with holes or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking, or brush each wrapper lightly with oil.

Place one wonton wrapper round on your palm or a flat surface. Put about 1 tablespoon of filling (a heaping tablespoon) in the center of the wrapper. Gather the sides of the wrapper up around the filling, leaving the top exposed. Squeeze gently to form a squat cylinder with the top open. Press slightly so filling is compact and will hold its shape. Repeat until all filling is used (about 20–24 shumai depending on size).

Optional garnish: press a small carrot round or a pea into the center of each shumai top for color.

Bring water to a steady simmer in a wok or pot deep enough to fit your steamer. Place shumai in the prepared steamer in a single layer with a little space between each (they will not expand much). Cover with the steamer lid.

Steam over medium-high simmer for 6–8 minutes, or until filling is opaque, shrimp is cooked through, and internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C). For larger shumai, steam up to 9 minutes. Do not over-steam, which can dry them out.

When done, remove steamer from heat and let rest 1 minute before serving to avoid burning steam.

While the shumai steam, prepare the ponzu: in a small bowl combine ponzu, rice vinegar, soy sauce (if you want it saltier), and toasted sesame oil. Stir to combine.

Taste and adjust acidity or salt. Add sliced scallion and optional chili oil or shichimi togarashi to finish. Keep chilled or at room temperature until serving.

Arrange steamed shumai on a platter. Serve immediately with the ponzu dipping sauce on the side. Provide chopsticks or small forks. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat gently in a steamer for 2–3 minutes.