Cantonese Shumai (Siu Mai)

Prepare the ingredients:

For the shiitake mushrooms:Place the dried mushrooms into a heatproof bowl and soak with hot water. Set aside and allow the mushrooms rehydrate for at least 15 minutes. Once the mushrooms are rehydrated, trim and discard the stem and mince the mushrooms. Set aside until needed.

For the pork:Finely chop the pork shoulder by cutting the pork shoulder into slices, then into strips, and lastly into small pea-size pieces, no larger. If making the filling by hand instead of the stand mixer, mince the pork into smaller pieces by chopping back and forth until the pork kind of stick to each other

For the shrimps:Crush the shrimps into a rough paste. To do so: Place a shrimp flat on the cutting board and place the flat side of the chef knife or cleaver on top of the shrimp. While holding the knife, press down firmly with the other hand util the shrimps are flat, about ⅛ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining shrimps. Once all the shrimps are crushed, give the shrimps a few chops and set aside.

For the filling:

Stand mixer method:Place the finely chopped pork shoulder into the stand mixer bowl. Using a paddle attachment, mix the pork on medium speed until the pork starts to stick together. Then add the crushed shrimp. Mix on medium speed everything is well combined and the mixture looks a little paste-like. Next, add the water and mix on low to medium low speed until the water is absorbed.

To the pork and shrimp mixture, add the lard and potato starch. Mix on low speed until well combined. Then add the remaining seasonings: shaoxing rice wine, sugar, bouillon powder, salt, sesame oil, and white pepper. Mix on low speed until well combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides as needed.

Finish by adding the minced shiitake mushrooms and mix on low speed until combined. If you have time, cover and allow the filling to marinate in the fridge for at least 15 to 30 minutes or even overnight.

Hand method:Place the finely chopped pork into a large mixing bowl. Knead and mix the pork vigorously until the pork starts to feel sticky and a little paste-like. To the pork, add the shrimps and mix vigorously until well combined. Add the water and mix slowly to incorporate the water, then mix vigorously until water is absorbed and the filling is no longer loose.

To the pork and shrimp mixture, add the lard and potato starch. Mix until well combined. Then mix in the remaining seasonings: shaoxing rice wine, sugar, bouillon powder, salt, sesame oil, and white pepper. To finish, add the minced shiitake mushrooms and mix well. If you have time, cover and allow the filling to marinate in the fridge for at least 15 to 30 minutes or even overnight.

Make the shumai:

Prepare wrapping station:Prepare a sheet pan lined with cling film. Also prepare a butter knife, small cake spatula, or a spoon, and make sure to prepare a damp towel to wrap the shumai wrappers.

Wrap the shumai:Step by step photo reference for the wrapping steps are shared in the post above!Using a butter knife, place about 2 tablespoons of filling at the middle of a sheet of shumai wrapper. Spread the edge of the filling around the wrapper.

With your left hand, form an 'O' with your fingers and position the shumai wrapper over it. With the butter knife in your right hand, gently push down at the center of the filling while shifting your left hand until the shumai forms a cup. Gently squeeze the shumai to ensure that the wrapper sticks to the filling. Remove or add a little more filling as needed to fill up the wrapper and use the butter knife to smooth out the top of the filling. The shumai should be about 1 inch wide and a little more than 1 inch tall.

Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers and place the assembled shumai on the prepared sheet pan. Avoid letting the shumai touch. Assembled shumai can be cooked immediately or frozen for storing.

To cook:

Add about 1 inch of water into a wok or a pot large enough to sit the steam basket over. Bring the water to to a boil.

Meanwhile, line a steam basket with perforated parchment circle and place the shumai in the basket, making sure there is at least ½ inch of space between each.

If you are garnishing the the shumai with finely diced carrot or peas, go ahead and place a small amount of the carrot or one pea at the center of the shumai.

When the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to keep the water at a high simmer. Place the steam basket over the water and cover with lid. Allow the shumai to steam for 10 minutes, until the filling is cooked through. Once cooked, remove the basket off the heat. Be careful, the steam is VERY hot!

If you are garnishing the shumai with roe, go ahead and place small amounts of roe at the center of each shumai now.

To serve:Enjoy the shumai while they're hot! These shumai are great on their own or dipped in some chili oil or Chinese black vinegar with some ginger.