Rinse shrimp, pat dry, and roughly chop into small 1/4-inch pieces. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of the chopped shrimp to use as a decorative topper if desired; otherwise divide evenly into filling.

Place chopped shrimp and ground pork in a mixing bowl. Add minced water chestnuts and chopped green onion.

Season the mixture with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Mix gently to combine.

Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 egg white to the bowl. Mix vigorously in one direction (folding and pressing) for 30–60 seconds until the filling becomes slightly sticky and cohesive. Cover and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes to firm up.

Wrappers & assembly

Prepare your work surface and a small bowl of water. Lightly brush or spray both sides of each wonton wrapper with neutral oil to prevent sticking (optional).

Place a wrapper flat in your palm or on the work surface. Spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling into the center of the wrapper, leaving the edges free.

Gather the wrapper edges up around the filling, forming an open-top cup so the filling is visible. Press the filling down gently and squeeze the wrapper so the shumai stands upright. The finished shumai should be roughly 1 1/2 inches tall. Repeat to make 6 mini shumai.

If using, press a small reserved piece of chopped shrimp or a single pea or a tiny mound of diced carrot onto the top center of each shumai for garnish.

Steaming & serving

Set up a steamer: add about 2 cups water to a wok or medium pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Lightly oil the steamer basket or line it with parchment with holes or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking.

Arrange the shumai in the steamer basket, leaving about 1/2 inch between each to allow steam circulation. Work in batches if necessary.

Place the basket over simmering water, cover, and steam for 6–8 minutes (for small/mini shumai) until the filling is opaque, firm, and an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F (71°C) for pork-containing filling. If using all shrimp and no pork, steam until shrimp are fully opaque and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes.

Carefully remove the basket from heat. Transfer shumai to a serving plate using tongs or a spatula.

Serve hot with soy sauce and/or chili oil. Each serving is 6 mini shumai.