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Shumai

Shumai is a delicious traditional Chinese recipe that is based on steamed meat or fish and vegetable dumplings.

Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Resting Time
6 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 40 pieces
Calories: 81 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the dough
  • 1⅔ cup flour , sifted
  • ½ cup lukewarm water , at 97 F / 36°C
  • 3 egg yolks
  • tapioca (or corn starch, for sprinkling)
For the stuffing
  • 2 lb pork loin , chopped with a knife
  • 8 oz. Shrimp , peeled and deveined
  • 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 egg white
  • 3 oz. bamboo shoots
  • 2 scallion stalks , finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh (or frozen peas)
  • 1 carrot , finely diced
For the marinade
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder , optional
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Equipment
  • Bamboo steamer basket
  • parchment paper

Instructions

Dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a bowl, add the flour then add the water gradually while kneading.
  2. Then add the egg yolks and knead until obtaining a smooth and homogeneous dough.
  3. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature and away from drafts.
  4. On a work surface sprinkled with tapioca starch (or cornstarch), divide the dough into 40 pieces of approximately ⅙ oz (5 g) each and form a ball with each of them.
  5. Flatten each ball and roll each into a disk approximately 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter. Sprinkle them well with starch to prevent them from sticking together.
  6. While each disk of dough is being formed, cover them gradually with a damp cloth. Set aside.
Stuffing
  1. Hydrate the mushrooms in hot water for 15 minutes. Then, press them to squeeze them out as much as possible and slice them very finely.
  2. Dip the pork strips in a large quantity of cold water, massaging them between both hands.
  3. Change the water and soak them for 10 minutes in plenty of cold water.
  4. Then drain them in a colander and squeeze out as much water as possible by squeezing them very hard.
  5. Place them in a thick cloth to dry them well.
  6. Then wrap the shrimp in paper towels and squeeze them to dry them well. Cut them into small pieces.
Marinade
  1. In a large bowl, mix the pork and all the ingredients needed for the marinade thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and then leave to rest for 20 minutes.
  2. Add the mushrooms and shrimp. Mix everything well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
Folding
  1. Place a disk of dough on a board and place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center.
  2. Bring the edges together between your thumb and index finger to form a sort of pouch. Using a teaspoon, pack the stuffing a little while tightening the fingers a little.
  3. Tap the dumpling thus obtained on the work surface to give it a flat base. The top of the dumpling therefore remains open and reveals the filling.
  4. Proceed in this way until the stuffing and dough discs are used up.
  5. Place them gradually in a bamboo steam basket lined with perforated parchment paper or salad leaves, without sticking them.
  6. Add pieces of carrots, peas and scallions on top of each dumpling.
  7. Steam and cover in the bamboo basket for approximately 10 minutes.
  8. If necessary, do this in several batches.
  9. Serve immediately with soy sauce or other dipping sauce.