Quick and Easy Pork Siu Mai Recipe

Pork Siu Mai, often referred to as ‘Shu Mai’ in Cantonese, stands as one of the most beloved and recognizable items in the world of dim sum. It is a tiny delicacy of thin wrapper with ground meat and shrimp in it.

Dim sum itself is a unique dining experience, originating from the Chinese tradition of ‘Yum Cha’ or drinking tea. This practice transformed over time into a communal eating experience, featuring a variety of small, delicate dishes served alongside tea.

Pork Siu Mai has risen as a staple in this assortment, capturing the hearts and palates of diners with its delicate wrappers and savory fillings. It has become a popular Chinese dim sum menu that almost every table will order in a dim sum restaurant.

Have you ever tasted siu mai or shumai in dim sum restaurant? It is amazingly delicious! One piece will never be enough. I fell in love the first time I tried in when I was 7 years old.

I would never forget the experience. Dining in a Dim sum restaurant has been the most favorite famiy outing. We love the hustle bustle of the cart with small bamboo steamer.

What is Shumai / Siu Mai?

Siu Mai is basically seasoned ground pork with shrimp, mushroom, steamed in a thin wonton wrapper. Most Xiu mai uses pork, so it is Pork Siu Mai. You can also substitute the pork with chicken and shrimp, so it is called chicken Siu Mai.

The dumplings are left open at the top, allowing diners to glimpse the mouthwatering filling inside. They are often adorned with a single vibrant green pea or a dollop of crab roe or goji berry or carrot shreds, adding a pop of vibrant color.

Origin of Siu Mai

Where does Siu Mai originally come from? It is originally created in China. Siu Mai, with its delicate wrapper and flavorful filling, has a history that dates back to the Mongol Yuan Dynasty of China (1271-1368).

Originating from Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, shumai was initially created as a way to make use of leftover ingredients. Traditionally, it was made from mutton and vegetables, wrapped in a thin dough, and then steamed to perfection.

Is Pork Siu Mai Gluten Free?

Since Siu Mai has wheat wonton wrapper, it is not gluten free if eaten whole. But if you omit the wrapper, the meat inside is gluten free.

Siu Mai wrappers are a basic wonton wrappers made of flour, water and salt. It has gluten in it.

This Pork Siu Mai recipe I created uses tapioca flour for the filling, so it is gluten free. You can substitute the pork with chicken if you want a chicken Siu Mai.

Shumai vs Gyoza

Shumai and Gyoza basically are seasoned meat fillings in a wonton wrapper. The difference is in the fillings and the cooking method.

Shumai uses meat and shrimp, you can add some chopped mushrooms, minced leeks and onion to boost the flavor. The method used for cooking is steaming.

Gyoza uses meat and shrimp and lots of cabbage. The method used for cooking gyoza is frying with a little bit of water.

If you want to know more about the difference between Shumai and Gyoza, you can check it out here. I have detailed everything I know about those two delicacy’s differences.

Pork Siu Mai Recipe

• 300 gr ground pork (chicken thigh)
• 75 gr minced shrimp
• ½ tbsp sesame oil
• ½ tbsp oyster sauce
• ½ tsp pepper
• 18 gr sugar
• 4 gr salt
• ½ tbsp fish sauce
• 20 gr egg white
• 50 gr sauteed minced onion
• 28 gr sauteed minced leeks
• 88 gr tapioca flour
• Shredded carrot for decoration (salmon roe or goji berry)

Instructions:

1. First thing you need to do is sauté the minced leeks with little oil. Set aside.
2. Then sauté the minced onion also with little oil. Set aside.
3. Now, put in the ground pork in a big bowl. I used ground pork with fat that comes from pork shoulder. It has the right amount of fat needed to make the shumai juicy.

4. Put in the chopped shrimp. I always chop the shrimp coarsely so that I get to eat some big chunks in the shumai. It is very delicious!

5. Put in the sautéed leeks.

6. Put in the sautéed onion.

7. Put in all the seasonings: sugar, salt, pepper, fish sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, egg white and tapioca flour. Mix them all together with a spatula thoroughly.

Wrapping

1. Take one wonton wrapper and put in the meat, around 1 teaspoonful is enough. It depends on the size of your wonton wrapper. If it is bigger than the one I use, you probably need more than one teaspoonful.
2. Push the meat inside with the spoon. It is okay if the meat is a bit protruding from the side of the wrapper.

3. Press the wrapper with your index finger and thumb to resemble the one in the picture above. Decorate with carrot shreds.

4. Continue until the meat fillings is finished. Put the wrapped shumay on a greased pan or in a bamboo steamer.

5. Steam for 15-20 minutes and they are ready to eat!

6. Serve these pork and shrimp siu mai with chilli oil or just as is! I warn you, they are very addictive!

You can enjoy Pork Siu Mai with chilli oil or sriracha sauce or just as it is. I would recommend serving the siu mai straight away from the steamer.

This pork and shrimp siu mai will not get hard even when it gets cool in room temperature. Some xiu mai will get hard after it cools down, quite hard that it is not nice to bite it. It is probably because of too much flour in the ingredients.

Storage

You can keep leftover siu mai in a closed container for the next day. Siu Mai can stray fresh in the chiller for up to 5 days and 10 days in the freezer.

Steam the siu mai for 15 minutes after thawing or from the chiller.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: What is the difference between siu mai and other dumplings?

A: Shumai is distinct for its open-top feature, allowing the filling to peek through. You can’t peek through other dumplings like Jiaozi or Gyoza or Har Gao.

Q: Can Shumai be made gluten-free?

A: Yes, you can make gluten-free Shumai by using gluten-free wrappers, which are available in some stores, or making your own at home. Additionally, make sure that all the other ingredients, including sauces and seasonings, are gluten-free.

Q: How do I store leftover Shumai / Xiu Mai?

A: You can store leftover shumai in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply steam them for a few minutes until warm. For longer storage, you can freeze them.

Q: Can Shumai be made in advance?

A: Yes, you can prepare Shumai in advance, steam and freeze them. Arrange the cooked Shumai on a tray lined with parchment paper and freeze them until solid.

Conclusion

Siu Mai is a dish that brings people together. Each bite is a taste of tradition. Savor this Chinese delicacy and make your own at home with this pork siu mai recipe.

If you like Asian food with ground pork, you can also try this Steamed Ground Pork.