Shaomai

 

Siu mai (SHOO-my), or shaomai, are popular little steamed dumplings from southeastern China. They are sold by shops as a quick snack food or from carts in dim sum restaurants as part of a larger menu selection.   Siu mai are wrapped in a fresh pasta skin that is left open, so that the filling peeks out of the top of the dumpling when served at the table.

Fillings of siu mai can be customized but the most famous filling is shiitake mushroom, minced meat and sticky rice. Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice is  a very common ingredients in Chinese holiday dishes. It tastes super good with dried goods like dried mushrooms, dried shrimp and sausages.  We are making shaomai with  filling of minced pork, shiitake mushroom and sticky rice here.

 

 

Ingredients

1 and ½ cup glutinous rice
48 dumpling wrappers
1 cup minced pork

Pork marinating
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Other ingredients
8-10 dried shiitake mushrooms (soaked with hot water)
Half of a carrots, diced
2-3 tablespoon oil
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
liquid for soaking the mushrooms (around ½ cup)
another ½ cup water

 

Directions:

Step 1:     Soak the glutinous rice with clean water at least for 24 hours. Move out and drain. Transfer to rice to a plate and flat.   Heat up water in wok, steam the rice for around 15 minutes until the rice is almost transparent. ( use a rice cooker works as well.)

     

 

 

Step 2:     Soak the shiitake mushroom with hot water for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the shiitake mushroom out and re-soak with hot water. Discard the first soaking water and strain the second soaking water for later filling.    Remove the mushroom roots and cut into dices. Cut carrots into dices too.

    

Step 3:     Heat up cooking oil on wok or pan, add chopped pork in to stir-fry until the color changes and then put carrots and mushrooms to fry until soft.
Add salt, dark soy sauce, sugar and liquid for soaking mushrooms. Stir continually. Heat until the sauce is almost absorbed.   Turn off heat.  Add steamed sticky rice.   Mix well.

    

 

 

Step 4:    Assemble siu mai with dumpling wrappers.

            

 

Steam siu mai over high fire for 15 minutes.
Serve hot!