Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai (3) Recipe

Rehydrate mushrooms (if dried)

Place dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water and soak 15–20 minutes until soft. Squeeze out excess water and finely chop. Reserve soaking liquid for another use or discard.

Finely chop the shrimp into small pieces (about the size of the ground pork) so the filling has a uniform texture. Finely chop the rehydrated mushrooms and scallion. Grate the ginger and mince the garlic.

In a medium bowl, combine ground pork, chopped shrimp, chopped mushrooms, scallion, ginger and garlic. Add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper and salt.

Add the cornstarch and the egg white to the mixture, then add the ice water. Mix vigorously by folding and pressing with a spoon or by repeatedly lifting and slamming the mixture against the side of the bowl until the filling becomes sticky and slightly tacky (about 1–2 minutes). This gives the filling a cohesive, glossy texture.

Cover the filling and chill in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes to firm up — this makes assembly easier.

Prepare a steamer: bring a pot of water to a simmer. Line the bamboo or metal steamer with parchment paper squares (poke a few holes in the paper for steam) or with cabbage/lettuce leaves, and lightly brush with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Lay one wrapper flat in your non-dominant palm. Place about one-third of a portion of the chilled filling in the center of the wrapper — roughly 40–50 g (divide the total filling into 3 equal portions). Do not overfill.

Using your other hand, press the filling down to form a compact cylinder. Pinch the wrapper up around the filling with your fingers, leaving the top open. You can pleat the wrapper slightly with your thumb and forefinger so the sides are held upright; the top should remain exposed. Repeat for the remaining wrappers.

Brush the outside of each siu mai lightly with a little vegetable oil (this prevents sticking and gives a sheen). Place each siu mai into the lined steamer basket with some space between them.

Press one pea into the center of each siu mai top and sprinkle a small pinch of diced carrot over the center for color.

Place the steamer over the simmering pot, cover, and steam over high heat for 6–8 minutes. Steam time may vary slightly depending on thickness; the filling should be fully cooked (pork no longer pink and shrimp opaque and firm). Avoid lifting the lid during steaming to keep a steady temperature.

After steaming, remove the steamer from the pot and let sit covered for 1 minute to settle (this prevents sudden collapse). Use a spatula to transfer siu mai to a serving dish.

If serving sauce, mix light soy sauce, black vinegar and chili oil in a small dish. Adjust proportions to taste. Serve the siu mai hot with the dipping sauce on the side.

Enjoy immediately, while hot. Leftover cooked siu mai refrigerate up to 2 days and re-steam gently to reheat.