Dumplings come in all dimensions and shapes, however, plump shrimp and pork shumai, with their distinct blend of Asian spices and aromatics are the most popular dim sum restaurants across the globe. They are the ideal shape to dip into a blend made of soy sauce, and chilli oil.
Shumai is also known as siumaai, siomai or shaomai, are Chinese dumplings with a wide-mouthed opening. This recipe will guide you in making the shumai at your home and learn how to create dumpling wrappers from scratch!
I would have dim sum dinner with my parents at least a couple of times per month. They enjoyed it, yet mom would make an incessant comment about how oily and greasy the dim sum was, and that she had to drink hot tea in order to take it all in. I believe I’ve just come to an insight into where my food-related guilt stems from. I’ll still dum sum and the comments continue to echo in my head whenever the dishes are in rotation :).
Wrappers for dumplings from the grocery store
Shumai wrappers are an essential dumpling wrapper made of flour hot water, flour, and salt, similar to spring roll wrappers. Dumpling wrappers are reasonably priced and can be found in a variety of Asian supermarkets. There’s a wide variety of kinds of brands, sizes and shapes to select from. A great brand to wrap dumplings in is The New Hong Kong Noodle Company and is sold in a variety of Asian markets across the US.
For shmai, you should find extremely thin (0.3 millimeters) wrappers with a circle (3 1/4 inches in diameter). If you’re having difficulty finding wrappers that are round You can also make use of wonton wrappers, cutting the corners with the help of a circular cookie cutter.
Homemade dumpling wrappers
Another option I like makes dumpling wrappers yourself because you can modify shapes, sizes, the thickness and, most importantly, the ingredients. When you prepare it yourself, you’ll know the exact contents of your wrappers , and can modify the recipe to suit your personal preferences. A tip is to use a pasta machine to help you roll your wrappers very thin! I also remember when it was difficult to hold super-large shmai using chopsticks when I was a kid!
To make your own shumai wrappers it is necessary to use hot water to help break down the gluten proteins contained in the flour. This assists in the texture and the thickness that the wrapper has. I mix the salt with boiling water and let it dissolve and then slowly add the hot water to a mixing bowl and mix it with the flour. Utilize chopsticks to mix the flour and water until it reaches the consistency of a shaggy dough.
Put the dough on a surface that is floured and make a kneading motion using the heels of your hands by folding the dough in its own and then continuing to knead for approximately 10 minutes or until the dough has a smooth texture. Allow the dough to rest for about 30 minutes before rolling it out with the pasta maker. It’s extremely helpful having a pasta maker in case you don’t do not want to be super-smooth (and exhausted) working by hand. Pasta machines will also help avoid overworking your dough and leaving the final product tough.
After resting your dough apply your thumb to the dough. If it creates an impression then your dough is now at its best to roll. Utilizing your pasta machine, make a lamination of your dough and then make it roll out till it reaches a the thickness of .3 millimeters (yes super thin!). For the Marcato Atlas pasta machine the most thin setting is level 9.
Once you have rolled into a ball, you can use the circle cookie cutter to create circular wrappers. I prefer 3 1/4 inches of diameter circular cutter. I end up with approximately 50 Shumai wrappers. To stack the shumai wrappers, apply cornstarch the middle of each stack. It is also possible to freeze the wrappers to be used later in a sealed zip-lock bag.
Filling
I like making the filling when my dough is sitting. There are many different kinds of shumai based on locality and culture, it is possible to make different fillings such as beef, pork Mutton, shrimp peppers, and more. This recipe is made with the traditional Cantonese mixture of pork, shrimp and mushrooms. This recipe is available in many dim sum eateries.
Chop your shrimp in small pieces and put it in an enormous mixing bowl. Add the ground pork. I do just a few pulses with a food processor to make this fast. Add the remaining sauces and seasonings, and mix until well-combined. Similar to the recipe for my soupy Lumpia Shanghai recipe prior to wrapping, I like to check the filling’s taste by microwaving one small amount of meat to ensure that I’ve prepared the filling correctly.
Wrapping and assembly
When I first saw the shumai, I thought that wrapping them was fairly easy based on their cylindrical shape, however it requires some time to form them correctly. Comparatively to the xiao long bao but, they’re much simpler to wrap.
Step 1. Create a circle using your fingers by touching your thumb and pointer finger.
Step 2. Place one wrapper over the circle.
Step 3. Add about a tablespoon of filling to center of wrapper. gradually bring the edges of the wrapper in order to cover the filling. Similar to pressing the edges of the wrapper in the direction of the filling. This should result in a circular design with an un-faced upper.
Step 4. I prefer to keep the bowl full of water ready to dip my hands into and form an elongated top on my shumai in order to keep it from sticking on my fingers.
Step 5. Add a pea-sized amount of carrots minced over the top. Repeat.
Steaming
Like other dim sum dishes such as Char siu Bao, shumai must be cooked in steam to achieve that delicious and soft texture. Make sure to follow these instructions for cooking your shumai in a proper manner:
- Choose a pot big enough to hold your steamer. Then, heat your steamer prior to adding the shmai in order to make sure that the timing is perfect.
- Line the steamer with lettuce or parchment to keep the shumai from sticking to it.
- Allow some space between the shumai to ensure it’s easier to remove after the steaming
- Cook the shumai for approximately 10 minutes for each batch or until it reaches its internal temperature at 165°F.
- Shut the lid when it’s steaming as you may lose steam and cook your Shumai.
- Be sure to add plenty of water, and also check the level of the water as you’re steaming to ensure you don’t miss out on steaming time.
Service and freezing
Once you’ve finished steaming, the shumai should appear plump and firm to the feel. Serve it immediately with the addition of chilli sauce and soy sauce. You can also store cooked shmai in an airtight container.
If you’re looking to make a full dim sum dinner, you can also prepare other traditional dishes: the chicken feet, Chinese seafood and oyster sauces, Cheung Fun , egg tarts, as well as xiaolong bao.
To warm shumai, soak a towel and cover the shumai with the towel and place it on an uncooked plate. Put the dish in the oven and cook it in 30 second intervals until it’s hot. Be careful not to overcook it as it could become tough.
Pork & Shrimp Shumai Recipe
Equipment
- Bamboo Steamer
- pasta machine – Marcato – Atlas 150
- Circular cutter for cookies (optional)
Ingredients
DOUGH (MAKES 50 WRAPPERS)
- 160 G or 1 c all-purpose flour
- 3 8 oz or 6 tbsp hot water
- 5 g or 1 teaspoon salt
FILLING
- 1/2 1 lb ground pork
- 1/2 lb shrimp peeled , then chopped
- 2 tbsp dried shiitake mushroom
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp of green onions chopped
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Fresh ginger 1 teaspoon, finely grated
- 1/2 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
OTHER
- carrots that have been minced
- soy sauce An alternative for dips
Instructions
DOUGH
- Mix hot water with the salt.
- Take 1 cup of the flour, and slowly pour in warm water and salt liquid in the mixing bowl. Make use of chopsticks or a spoon to mix the flour into the liquid.
- After the water has been in the flour, you should end up with a slightly sticky dough. If needed, add more flour if the dough is too wet (the dough is damp to the touch but isn't forming into a ball, or being released off the edges) or water if too dry.
- On a floured surface begin to work the dough with your hands for around five minutes. The final result will be a smooth, oval ball. If you prefer, you can utilize a food processor mix the flour and dough and then run through the food processor until a dough is formed into a ball. Make the dough by kneading it for 3 minutes with your hands.
- Allow the dough to cool to room temperature , then wrap it in Cling wrap and let it sit for at least thirty minutes at the counter. The dough will be at its peak when you can put your finger onto the dough and leave an imprint.
- Make use of your pasta maker to make the dough, then end at the thinnest point or until you have reached 0.3 millimeters. This is my Marcato Atlas machine that is the level 9.
- Utilizing a 80mm/3 1/4 inch diameter cutter for cookies, you can cut wrappers out of this dough. The dough should be able to make around fifty dumpling wrappers.
- If you wish to arrange the wrappers in a stack, apply two teaspoons of cornstarch over the inside of the wrapper. Then, stack one on top one to avoid sticking. The wrappers can be frozen inside an airtight container to use later.
FILLING
- Chop the shrimp in small pieces and then add it to a large mixing bowl , along with ground pork. Add the other ingredients and mix well.
- Test the seasoning of your meat by placing one teaspoon of meat into the microwave for 10 seconds. Modify the seasoning as needed according to your personal preferences.
ASSEMBLY AND STEAMING
- Create a circle using your thumb and pointer finger. Put one wrapper on top of it and add 1 spoon of filling.
- Wrap both sides using the wrapper, and try to maintain the shape of a circle.
- If you have to form the meat that is not covered on the surface of the shumai put your hands in the water, then shape it. The result should be cylindrical dumplings.
- Optional: You can include chopped carrots at the top for additional color.
- Line the steamer with lettuce or parchment paper. Heat the steamer prior to adding the shmai.
- Put shumai into the steamer and cook it for around ten minutes per batch. Check one of the shumai by pulling it out of the steamer, and then gently pressing it on the top. The shumai that is finished should feel soft to the touch. Additionally, the color of the top should be light gray. You can use a thermometer to determine whether the temperature is minimum 165 degrees F.
- Serve immediately , accompanied by soy sauce.
