Shrimp Shumai Recipe
Shrimp shumai is a delightful and savory Chinese dim sum, known for its delicate, soft texture and high nutritional value, making it a popular choice among many. While I've seen numerous shrimp shumai recipes online, many lack authenticity. As someone who grew up in China, I'm excited to share with you the genuine, traditional method for preparing this delicious dish.
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Siu mai has always been one of my favorite foods. It comes in various flavors, like Shrimp shumai, pork siu mai, and more. Today, I'm making Shrimp shumai using the traditional method commonly found in China, unlike the modified versions you might see elsewhere. This recipe will give you an authentic taste that won't disappoint.
1. About Siu Mai
Siu mai is a traditional Chinese dim sum made from wheat flour dough mixed with water, rolled into thin, leaf-edged wrappers, and filled with meat filling before being steamed. It originated in Northern China and has spread throughout the country and the world, evolving into many different versions and flavors.
According to historical accounts, during the late Qing Dynasty, near the Dazhao Temple in the city of Guihua (now Hohhot), two brothers were selling buns. To increase their income and save for the younger brother's future marriage, the younger brother started making thin-skinned "buns" with open tops to distinguish them from the regular buns. The proceeds from these special buns, called "shaomai," were saved separately, while the regular bun money went to the older brother. This unique bun became popular, and the name evolved to "shao mai" as it spread southward.
2. Why Are Siu Mai Open-Topped?
Siu mai is left open at the top to differentiate between various side dishes that tea drinkers might bring. Some might include raw beef, lamb, ginger, and scallions, while others could have radishes, greens, or dried tofu. By leaving the tops open, each type of siu mai can be easily distinguished. After steaming, the server would bring the bamboo steamer to the table and announce, "The side dishes are here; please choose as you like." This way, tea drinkers could select their preferred "thin-skinned buns" to enjoy with their tea. Today, siu mai varieties are even more diverse and beautifully crafted.
3. ngredients and Substitutes
For this shrimp shumai recipe, the ingredients are quite diverse:
Pork Filling: Adds juiciness and enhances the texture of the shumai.
Dumpling Wrappers: Essential for making shumai. You can buy pre-made wrappers or make them yourself. I have a tutorial on making dumpling wrappers if you need it.
Glutinous Rice: A traditional ingredient that cannot be omitted from classic shumai.
Shrimp: A key ingredient that is essential.
Carrots: Optional, depending on your preference.
Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms: Optional, depending on your preference.
Sweet Corn Kernels: Optional, but recommended for extra flavor.
Fresh Peas: Optional, depending on your preference.
Scallions: Adds aroma to the shumai.
Seasonings: Salt, oyster sauce, and oil.
Most of these ingredients are commonly found in everyday cooking. Dumpling wrappers might be harder to find, but you can purchase them at nearby Chinese stores or Asian supermarkets.
4. Tools Needed
Siu mai, like buns and steamed bread, is cooked by steaming, so you'll need a steamer and a steaming cloth. The steaming cloth prevents the siu mai from sticking to the steamer and helps maintain the texture of the dumplings, keeping the dough from becoming hard.
Note:
If you enjoy cooking, a steamer is a useful tool to have in your kitchen. If you don't already own one, consider buying one. A steamer can be used for making various dishes, including dumplings, buns, steamed bread, and even fish.
5. How to Store Siu Mai
Siu mai is suitable for storing. You can make a larger batch and keep any leftovers in a sealed bag, then freeze them in the refrigerator. They can be stored for at least a week.
When you're ready to eat them, simply take them out and heat them in a microwave or steamer.
6. What to Pair with Siu Mai
In China, siu mai is commonly enjoyed for breakfast. People often pair it with items like youtiao (fried dough sticks), soy milk, corn, or wonton noodles to ensure a balanced meal.
Now that you have a thorough understanding of siu mai, let's get started on making delicious shrimp shumai together!
INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 25 dumpling wrappers
- 10 shrimp
- 150g glutinous rice
ACCESSORIES
- 100g pork
- 60g carrot
- 7 fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 30g sweet corn kernels
- 50g fresh peas
- 4g scallions
SEASONINGS
- 5g salt
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 15ml oil
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
First, gather all the ingredients.
Wash the glutinous rice and soak it in water for 4 hours.
STEP 2
Drain the soaked glutinous rice and place it on a steamer basket lined with a steaming cloth. Steam for about 10 minutes.
Tip:
Steaming the glutinous rice enhances its aroma. Once steamed, set it aside for later use.
STEP 3
Clean 100g of pork and cut it into pork mince. Wash and finely chop about 4g of scallions, and set them aside.
STEP 4
Clean and dice approximately half a carrot (60g).
Clean and dice 7 fresh shiitake mushrooms.
Use 30g of frozen sweet corn kernels.
For the 10 shrimp, peel and devein them (make sure to remove the shrimp veins). If the shrimp are large, you can cut them into pieces.
Use 50g of fresh peas, peeled.
STEP 5
Heat a pan and add oil. Start by sautéing the chopped scallions until fragrant. Then, add the pork mince and cook until it changes color. Stir in 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and mix well. Next, add the peas, carrot, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, corn kernels, and finally the steamed glutinous rice. Stir everything together until well combined.
STEP 6
Once all the ingredients are added, stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside.
STEP 7
Take out the 25 dumpling wrappers. Use a rolling pin to roll around the edges of each wrapper.
STEP 8
The dumpling wrappers should look like this after rolling.
STEP 9
Take a dumpling wrapper and place a portion of the filling in the center. Hold the wrapper between your thumb and index finger, then gently gather and pinch the edges to seal. Adjust and shape as needed, and your Shrimp shumai is ready.
Tip:
If you’re new to making shumai, it might take some practice. Just make sure the filling doesn’t leak out during steaming.
STEP 10
Once all the dumpling wrappers are used, you should have around 25 Shrimp shumai. Place the prepared shumai in the steamer basket.
Tip:
Make sure to line the steamer basket with a piece of steamer cloth. This will prevent the shumai from sticking to the basket and avoid them getting wet from steam, which can affect their texture.
STEP 11
Steam the filled steamer basket for 8-10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
Tip:
Since the shumai wrappers are thin and the filling is already cooked, you don’t need to steam them for too long.
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: Shrimp Shumai Recipe
- Main Ingredients:9
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:1.6 kg
-
Energy (calories)：3231 kcal
-
Protein：118.92 g
-
Fat：24.82 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates：618.19 g
-
Protein: 15%475 kcal
-
Fat: 7%223 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 78%2480 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
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