Shrimp Shumai Recipe

Shrimp shumai is a delightful and savory Chinese dim sum, known for its delicate, soft texture and high nutritional value, making it a popular choice among many. While I've seen numerous shrimp shumai recipes online, many lack authenticity. As someone who grew up in China, I'm excited to share with you the genuine, traditional method for preparing this delicious dish.

4 Reviews
4 Comments
POSTED:09/08/2024
Level:Medium
Yield:8-10 servings
Total:5 hr 0 min
(includes chilling time)
Active:4 hr 0 min

Siu mai has always been one of my favorite foods. It comes in various flavors, like Shrimp shumai, pork siu mai, and more. Today, I'm making Shrimp shumai using the traditional method commonly found in China, unlike the modified versions you might see elsewhere. This recipe will give you an authentic taste that won't disappoint.


1. About Siu Mai

Siu mai is a traditional Chinese dim sum made from wheat flour dough mixed with water, rolled into thin, leaf-edged wrappers, and filled with meat filling before being steamed. It originated in Northern China and has spread throughout the country and the world, evolving into many different versions and flavors.

According to historical accounts, during the late Qing Dynasty, near the Dazhao Temple in the city of Guihua (now Hohhot), two brothers were selling buns. To increase their income and save for the younger brother's future marriage, the younger brother started making thin-skinned "buns" with open tops to distinguish them from the regular buns. The proceeds from these special buns, called "shaomai," were saved separately, while the regular bun money went to the older brother. This unique bun became popular, and the name evolved to "shao mai" as it spread southward.


2. Why Are Siu Mai Open-Topped?

Siu mai is left open at the top to differentiate between various side dishes that tea drinkers might bring. Some might include raw beef, lamb, ginger, and scallions, while others could have radishes, greens, or dried tofu. By leaving the tops open, each type of siu mai can be easily distinguished. After steaming, the server would bring the bamboo steamer to the table and announce, "The side dishes are here; please choose as you like." This way, tea drinkers could select their preferred "thin-skinned buns" to enjoy with their tea. Today, siu mai varieties are even more diverse and beautifully crafted.


3. ngredients and Substitutes

For this shrimp shumai recipe, the ingredients are quite diverse:

Pork Filling: Adds juiciness and enhances the texture of the shumai.

Dumpling Wrappers: Essential for making shumai. You can buy pre-made wrappers or make them yourself. I have a tutorial on making dumpling wrappers if you need it.

Glutinous Rice: A traditional ingredient that cannot be omitted from classic shumai.

Shrimp: A key ingredient that is essential.

Carrots: Optional, depending on your preference.

Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms: Optional, depending on your preference.

Sweet Corn Kernels: Optional, but recommended for extra flavor.

Fresh Peas: Optional, depending on your preference.

Scallions: Adds aroma to the shumai.

Seasonings: Salt, oyster sauce, and oil.

Most of these ingredients are commonly found in everyday cooking. Dumpling wrappers might be harder to find, but you can purchase them at nearby Chinese stores or Asian supermarkets.


4. Tools Needed

Siu mai, like buns and steamed bread, is cooked by steaming, so you'll need a steamer and a steaming cloth. The steaming cloth prevents the siu mai from sticking to the steamer and helps maintain the texture of the dumplings, keeping the dough from becoming hard.

Note:

If you enjoy cooking, a steamer is a useful tool to have in your kitchen. If you don't already own one, consider buying one. A steamer can be used for making various dishes, including dumplings, buns, steamed bread, and even fish.


5. How to Store Siu Mai

Siu mai is suitable for storing. You can make a larger batch and keep any leftovers in a sealed bag, then freeze them in the refrigerator. They can be stored for at least a week.

When you're ready to eat them, simply take them out and heat them in a microwave or steamer.


6. What to Pair with Siu Mai

In China, siu mai is commonly enjoyed for breakfast. People often pair it with items like youtiao (fried dough sticks), soy milk, corn, or wonton noodles to ensure a balanced meal.


Now that you have a thorough understanding of siu mai, let's get started on making delicious shrimp shumai together!

INGREDIENTS

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  • 25 dumpling wrappers
  • 10 shrimp
  • 150g glutinous rice

ACCESSORIES

  • 100g pork
  • 60g carrot
  • 7 fresh shiitake mushrooms
  • 30g sweet corn kernels
  • 50g fresh peas
  • 4g scallions

SEASONINGS

  • 5g salt
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 15ml oil

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

First, gather all the ingredients.

Wash the glutinous rice and soak it in water for 4 hours.

Instructions for preparing glutinous rice: gather ingredients, wash rice, soak for 4 hours.

STEP 2

Drain the soaked glutinous rice and place it on a steamer basket lined with a steaming cloth. Steam for about 10 minutes.

Tip:

Steaming the glutinous rice enhances its aroma. Once steamed, set it aside for later use.

Soak glutinous rice, then steam for 10 minutes to enhance aroma and set aside.

STEP 3

Clean 100g of pork and cut it into pork mince. Wash and finely chop about 4g of scallions, and set them aside.

Prepare 100g pork mince and finely chop 4g scallions.

STEP 4

Clean and dice approximately half a carrot (60g).

Clean and dice 7 fresh shiitake mushrooms.

Use 30g of frozen sweet corn kernels.

For the 10 shrimp, peel and devein them (make sure to remove the shrimp veins). If the shrimp are large, you can cut them into pieces.

Use 50g of fresh peas, peeled.

Clean and dice carrot, mushrooms, sweet corn, shrimp, and peas for recipe.

STEP 5

Heat a pan and add oil. Start by sautéing the chopped scallions until fragrant. Then, add the pork mince and cook until it changes color. Stir in 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and mix well. Next, add the peas, carrot, shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, corn kernels, and finally the steamed glutinous rice. Stir everything together until well combined.

Sauté scallions, add pork, oyster sauce, veggies, shrimp, corn, and rice to make a delicious stir fry.

STEP 6

Once all the ingredients are added, stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir well. Remove from heat and set aside.

Stir-fry ingredients for 2 minutes, add salt, then set aside.

STEP 7

Take out the 25 dumpling wrappers. Use a rolling pin to roll around the edges of each wrapper.

Roll dumpling wrappers' edges using a rolling pin to prepare for filling.

STEP 8

The dumpling wrappers should look like this after rolling.

Description of how dumpling wrappers should look after rolling.

STEP 9

Take a dumpling wrapper and place a portion of the filling in the center. Hold the wrapper between your thumb and index finger, then gently gather and pinch the edges to seal. Adjust and shape as needed, and your Shrimp shumai is ready.

Tip:

If you’re new to making shumai, it might take some practice. Just make sure the filling doesn’t leak out during steaming.

Instructions on how to assemble Shrimp Shumai dumplings and a helpful tip for beginners.

STEP 10

Once all the dumpling wrappers are used, you should have around 25 Shrimp shumai. Place the prepared shumai in the steamer basket.

Tip:

Make sure to line the steamer basket with a piece of steamer cloth. This will prevent the shumai from sticking to the basket and avoid them getting wet from steam, which can affect their texture.

Make 25 shrimp shumai, line steamer with cloth to prevent sticking and maintain texture.

STEP 11

Steam the filled steamer basket for 8-10 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Tip:

Since the shumai wrappers are thin and the filling is already cooked, you don’t need to steam them for too long.

Steam shumai in a steamer basket for 8-10 minutes; brief steaming is sufficient.

Recipe analyzer

  • Recipes: Shrimp Shumai Recipe
  • Main Ingredients:9
  • Servings per recipe:1
  • Servings size:1.6 kg
Nutritional Summary of Recipe
Amount per 1320 g= 1 serving(s)
  • Energy (calories):3231 kcal
    158%
  • Protein:118.92 g
    310%
  • Fat:24.82 g Why gray?
    54%
  • Carbohydrates:618.19 g
    252%
Calorie breakdown
  • Protein: 15%
    475 kcal
  • Fat: 7%
    223 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 78%
    2480 kcal
The chart shows the percentage of calories intake (energy) coming from the respective macronutrients (fats, protein and carbohydrates).
Omega 6 : Omega 3
1:1
20:1
13:1
Both fatty acids are essential, but nowadays the majority of western diets include excessive amounts of Omega 6 acid.

The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.

4 REVIEWS

Review
Your rating:
BiteBlissBonanzaOctober 08, 2024

I love how easy this recipe is to follow. The shumai turned out delicious and looked just like the ones from my favorite dim sum restaurant!
SweetSizzleShowSeptember 24, 2024

What can I use if I don’t have wonton wrappers?
reply:
September 27, 2024
You can use dumpling wrappers or even make your own dough from scratch if you prefer. Just ensure the wrapper is thin and pliable.
EpicureanEuphoriaSeptember 14, 2024

This shrimp shumai recipe is fantastic! The flavor is spot-on, and they come out perfectly every time.
AliceAugust 12, 2024

I made it for the first time yesterday, and it tasted really good. The mushrooms smelled so good that I wanted to eat them all.
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