These look fiddly but the folding is forgiving. Steam a batch and serve with soy.
Pork and prawn siu mai
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the pork, prawns, spring onion, soy, sesame oil, ginger, cornflour and sugar into a filling.
- Place a spoonful in the middle of a wrapper.
- Gather the edges up around the filling to make an open cup.
- Steam over simmering water for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through.
- Serve hot with soy sauce.
Notes
Why pork and prawn work so well together
The mix of pork and prawn gives the filling both texture and sweetness. Cornflour is the binding agent that stops it falling apart in the steamer without making it dense.
What is siu mai?
Siu mai are open topped dumplings and one of the four classic dishes of a Cantonese dim sum lunch, along with har gow, char siu bao and egg tarts. A thin yellow wonton wrapper is gathered around a filling of pork and prawn, leaving the top open, and the dumplings are steamed in bamboo baskets.
They are often finished with a dot of orange crab roe or diced carrot on top. A version with glutinous rice inside is common in northern and eastern China.
Choosing pork, prawns and wrappers
- Pork: minced pork with a good amount of fat keeps the filling juicy.
- Prawns: chopped roughly so you get pieces with bite.
- Shiitake: soaked dried shiitake add a deep savoury flavour.
- Wrappers: thin square or round wonton wrappers, trimmed if needed.
Folding siu mai without a mess
- Keep the filling cold while you fold. A warm filling is harder to work with.
- Do not overfill. A heaped teaspoon per wrapper is enough.
- Wet the edge of the wrapper lightly before gathering to help it hold.
- Steam over a steady simmer, not a roaring boil, or the dumplings can become spongy.
All pork, chicken and vegan fillings
- All pork: skip the prawns and increase the pork mince to 300g.
- Chicken version: swap pork for chicken mince.
- Vegan: use finely chopped mushrooms, tofu and water chestnuts in place of the meat.
Freezing and steaming siu mai from frozen
Fill and fold the dumplings up to a day ahead, lay on a floured tray, cover and refrigerate. Or freeze them on the tray, then bag up once solid. Steam from frozen for 12 to 15 minutes.
Dipping sauces and dim sum partners
Soy sauce and a little chilli oil for dipping. Alongside other dim sum dishes, or as a starter before a bigger Chinese meal.
Wrappers, steamers and other questions
Where can I buy wonton wrappers in the UK?
Most large Asian supermarkets stock them in the chiller. Some Waitrose and online stores also carry them. Look for round wrappers for siu mai.
Can I pan-fry siu mai instead of steaming?
These are steamed dumplings. Pan-frying from raw risks burning the outside before the filling is cooked through. Steam first, then fry the bases briefly in a hot pan with oil for a pot-sticker finish.
Why is my dumpling filling soggy?
The prawns may have been too wet. Drain and pat them dry before chopping, and keep the filling cold.
