Shumai Recipe

If using dried shiitake, soak in warm water for 20–30 minutes until soft, squeeze out excess water and finely chop. Finely chop the shrimp and set aside.

Place ground pork in a large mixing bowl. Add chopped shrimp, minced shiitake, minced ginger, and minced green onions. Stir briefly to combine.

Add soy sauce (2 tbsp), oyster sauce (1 tbsp), Shaoxing wine (1 tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), white pepper (1 tsp), sesame oil (1 tsp), cornstarch (2 tsp), egg white (1 large), and salt (1 tsp) to the meat mixture.

Mix the filling with a folding motion (not vigorous whisking) until ingredients are well combined and mixture becomes slightly sticky — about 1–2 minutes. This helps the proteins bind and the filling to hold its shape.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the filling for at least 20 minutes to let flavors meld and the cornstarch to hydrate (can refrigerate up to 2 hours).

Prepare a clean work surface and a small bowl of cold water for sealing. Line a steaming basket or tray with parchment paper or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking.

Brush a small amount of oil (about 1 tsp total) over the center of each wrapper or lightly oil your hands to prevent sticking when shaping.

Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon (approx. 20–25 g) of filling into the center of a wrapper. Gather the wrapper edges up around the filling, leaving the top exposed; gently press to compact the filling, forming a cylindrical cup shape about 3–4 cm tall. The sides should be pleated or pressed so the filling is visible on top.

Top each shumai with a small sprinkle of finely diced carrot or a single frozen pea for color and to help identify the top.

Place each assembled shumai upright on the prepared steaming surface, leaving a little space between them (they will not expand much). Repeat until all wrappers and filling are used.

Bring 1 litre of water to a steady simmer in a wok or large pot fitted with a steamer rack. Steam in batches if necessary; do not let the water touch the shumai.

Place the steamer basket over the simmering water, cover, and steam shumai for 6–8 minutes for small shumai or 8–10 minutes for larger ones, until the filling reaches 74°C (165°F) and shrimp are opaque and pork is cooked through.

After steaming, remove the lid and let the shumai sit in the basket 1 minute to settle (this prevents condensation from dripping onto them).

Carefully transfer shumai to a serving plate. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp black or rice vinegar, 1 tsp chili oil (optional), and 1/2 tsp sesame oil in a small bowl. Stir and serve alongside shumai.