Steamed 蒸
Traditional Siu Mai Recipe (Cantonese Pork and Prawn Dumplings)
Known in Cantonese as 燒賣 (Siu Mai), which translates literally to 'to cook and sell,' these open-faced dumplings are a dim sum essential. This recipe yields a succulent, 'bouncy' texture (Tan Ya) using fatty pork and hand-chopped prawns encased in delicate yellow wrappers.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Advanced
- Per serving
- 380 kcal
Method
Prepare the prawns by patting them extremely dry with paper towels. Roughly chop half into pea-sized chunks and mince the other half into a paste. This creates the 'bouncy' texture.
In a large bowl, combine the pork, prawns, diced mushrooms, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, and white pepper.
The 'Slamming' Technique: Stir the mixture in one direction for 5 minutes until it becomes sticky. Pick up the entire mass of filling and throw it back into the bowl with force 15–20 times. This develops the myosin in the meat, essential for the firm dim sum texture. Refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes.
Wrapper Preparation: If using store-bought wrappers, trim the corners to form circles. If making fresh dough, ensure a 38% hydration (100g flour to 38g liquid including egg). Rest the dough for 1 hour before rolling paper-thin.
Assembly: Place 1.5 tablespoons of filling in the center of a wrapper. Bring the sides up around the filling, allowing the wrapper to naturally pleat (aim for 8-12 small folds) as you squeeze the 'waist' of the dumpling. Use a flat butter knife to level the top.
Steamer Setup: Fill a wok or wide pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a rolling boil. Line your bamboo steamer with perforated parchment or cabbage leaves.
Steaming: Place dumplings in the steamer, leaving 1 inch of space between them. Top each with a tiny piece of carrot or a goji berry. Place the steamer lid on and steam over high heat for exactly 8-10 minutes.
Serve immediately while the wrappers are translucent and the pork is glistening.
Notes
Never use lean pork; the fat is what keeps the dumpling juicy during the high-heat steam.
Ensure the water is at a full rolling boil before placing the steamer on top to prevent the wrappers from becoming gummy.
If the filling feels too loose, an extra teaspoon of cornstarch will help bind the proteins during the slamming phase.
To achieve the signature flat top, use your thumb and index finger to create a 'ring' around the dumpling and press the filling down with a spatula.
