Chinese dumplings (siu mai) like these are a dim sum favorite for good reason. These have a savory mix of pork, green cabbage, garlic, ginger and sesame oil inside, and they are surprisingly easy to make.
They do take a bit of work, although that can be cut down by using pre-made dumpling wraps. But it's a relaxing sort of work - chopping, mixing, and wrapping. They smell wonderful, too; the aroma of ginger, scallions and sesame filled my kitchen and I could hardly wait for them to be done!
Step-by-step pictures below...
This was my first time making this sort of dumpling, as you can probably tell from my awkward wrapping. The dumplings should look like drawstring purses, not quite closed at the top. But regardless of how good they look they will undoubtedly taste wonderful.
Steamed Pork Dumplings (Siu Mai)
makes about a dozen
Dumpling Wraps
1 cup self-rising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
Mix the flour and salt. Add 1/2 cup water, or just enough to mix into a smooth, elastic dough. Set aside for about 20 minutes until doubled in size.
Pork and Cabbage Filling
1/2 pound ground pork
2 cups chopped green or Savoy cabbage (about 1/4 head)
2 scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 cloves of garlic, minced or smashed (about 2 tablespoons)
3-inch grated ginger (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon chili bean paste (optional)
Mix the pork and chopped cabbage and scallions. Mix in the sesame oil and soy sauce. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili bean paste, if using, and mix well.
Spray a steamer basket insert with cooking spray, or wipe lightly with oil. Put a couple of inches of water in a large pan; the water should not touch the bottom of the steamer basket.
Divide the dough into 12 equal balls.
On a floured board or countertop roll them out one by one into thin smooth circles. Roll the dough as thin as you can; it will puff up as it steams.
Put a heaping spoonful of the pork filling in the center.
Draw the edges of the dough circle up in gathers around the filling and pinch to tighten, leaving a small gap at the top. Moisten with a little water, if necessary, to get the edges to stick to each other.
Arrange the dumplings in the oiled steamer basket a couple inches apart; they will grow as they steam.
Bring the water in the pan to a boil, then put the steamer basket inside and cover the pan.
Lower the heat to medium and steam for about 10-12 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through and firm to the touch.
Serve with soy sauce and chili-garlic sauce for dipping.
Traditional Siu mai is made with a thinner skin as well as shrimp.
I concur. These look more like little "baos" vs. siu mai- largely due to the ingredients (mixture of shrimp and pork, sometimes shitake mushrooms) but also the skin. Skin is usually thinner to the point where it sticks to the filling (kind of looks like a cranium with an opening at the top). But with that said, it is almost impossible to make thinner skin-- many noodle factories make the skins b/c they have the specialized equipment to do so, and I'm sure many restaurants buy the skins because it is much more labor intensive.
oops- I mean less labor intensive!
Yeah - that was confusing for me - my old roommate, who gave me this recipe and who spent time in China, calls them baozi. But other Chinese friends were like no, no - they're siu mai. Whereas I think the texture is most like char siu bao - the fluffy barbecue steamed buns, minus the bbq.
So, yeah - dumplings - good in any language! And yes, the thin skin is very difficult - anyone have any good tips for rolling out dumpling dough?
I bet you could use a pasta maker to make the dumpling dough thinner. I remember reading (in multiple places, no less) that you could absolutely make good pasta by using a rolling pin--I don't think so, I think you need a pasta maker. I wonder if it's the same for thin dumpling wrappers? Any which way, I say pasta maker!
Heres an idea: roll out all the dumpling skins and stack them one on top of the other with parchment/wax paper between skins (for easy separation and support). Then roll out the stack to desired thinness. Lift off the skins by pulling up the parchment paper, stuff, pinch closed (again with the help of the supporting paper), gently peel off paper and place in steamer. Never tried this but I know that some Indian communities make super thin rotis this way but use oil for easy separation.
I'm a Polock and make pierogi all the time. The big time saving invention I discovered this year is a tortilla press. You can get them at any latin american grocery; just put a blob of dough and slam the cover down and bam, flattened dough in 3 seconds.
Do you think I can use red cabbage or will that be too bitter?
Faith,
In Chinese, there are so many words for dumpling-like things that English can't keep up.
Bao-zi are a northern Chinese thing, you seal them up completely into a pierogi-like thing that is supposed to look like an ancient silver ingot (was used for currency). I make these every year with friends on Chinese New Year. You can fill them with just about anything.
Siu-mai are a southern Chinese thing and refer to a particular filling mixture that includes both pork and shrimp. The skin can be paper thin, so I see it more like a meatball with a wrapper rather than a dumpling.
I have a request. Is there any way that a substitute for self-rising flour can be posted with recipes that call for it? It's not available where I live and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
It seems like you could get dough nice and thin with a rolling pin. Simply let the rounds rest for 5 minutes or so to relax them and then keep rolling. Phyllo dough and Strudel dough are both streched and pulled paper thin by hands. (Traditionally speaking that is) Seems patience is key.
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1 cup self-rising flour
equals
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
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