Siu Mai (Chinese Dumpling) Recipe

ByJeannette Jaeger
Jump to Recipe

Introduction

Siu Mai is a classic Chinese dumpling known for its delicate wrapper and savory pork filling. These bite-sized treats are perfect for sharing and make a great appetizer or snack. Making them at home is easier than you might think!

Seven dumplings sit spaced out on a round black plate, each with a crinkled light yellow dough wrapper forming a bowl shape holding finely chopped brown meat filling topped with small bright orange bits. Two wooden chopsticks with striped white and black ends rest diagonally on the plate's edge above the dumplings. A small white bowl with a blue floral pattern containing dark red sauce with sliced light-colored garnish is placed near the bottom left corner of the image. A rolled beige cloth napkin tied with a piece of string is positioned in the top left corner, all set against a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

  • 150g plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 20ml water
  • 100g pork mince
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 5 mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (for dipping sauce)
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • A few thin strips of ginger
  • 1 tsp sugar (for dipping sauce)

Instructions

  1. Step 1: For the dough, combine plain flour, egg, salt, and water in a bowl. Use chopsticks to mix, adding more water if the dough feels too dry. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and set aside to rest.
  2. Step 2: For the filling, mix pork mince, spring onions, mushrooms, sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a bowl until you get a silky, smooth paste.
  3. Step 3: Roll out the dough on a floured surface until 2-3mm thick. Cut into approximately 7cm wide squares, about 8 pieces.
  4. Step 4: Place a heaped teaspoon of filling into the center of each wrapper. Shape the dough around the filling like a basket, leaving the top open. Use water to seal any excess dough. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
  5. Step 5: Prepare your steamer by placing a perforated piece of baking paper or brushing oil to prevent sticking. Arrange Siu Mai in the steamer without overlapping.
  6. Step 6: Steam the dumplings over boiling water for 10 minutes until cooked through.
  7. Step 7: While steaming, mix soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger strips, and sugar to create a dipping sauce.
  8. Step 8: Remove Siu Mai from the steamer and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Tips & Variations

  • Use a mixture of pork and shrimp mince for a more traditional filling.
  • Add finely chopped water chestnuts for extra crunch.
  • Make the dough ahead of time and store it wrapped in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
  • If you can’t find Shaoxing wine, dry sherry or rice wine can be a substitute.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace pork with finely chopped tofu and mushrooms.

Storage

Store any uncooked Siu Mai in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Cooked Siu Mai can be refrigerated for 1-2 days and gently reheated in a steamer or microwave. Avoid freezing wrapped dumplings as the texture of the dough may change.

How to Serve

A close-up view shows a dumpling with a soft, light beige outer dough layer filled with a mixture of light brown minced meat and small bits of green and orange vegetables on top. The dumpling is held by dark brown wooden chopsticks above a small white bowl with a blue floral pattern, containing dark reddish-brown sauce with visible chunks of garlic or tofu. In the background, there is a white marbled textured surface with a black plate holding three more dumplings, partially visible and out of focus. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use store-bought dumpling wrappers instead of making the dough?

Yes, store-bought wrappers can save time and work well for making Siu Mai. Choose round wrappers approximately 7cm in diameter for best results.

How do I know when the Siu Mai are fully cooked?

The dumplings are done when the filling is firm and no longer pink, usually after steaming for about 10 minutes. The wrappers should be translucent and tender but not sticky.

Print

Siu Mai (Chinese Dumpling) Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 76 reviews

This Siu Mai recipe features traditional Chinese dumplings made with a delicate handmade dough and a savory pork, mushroom, and spring onion filling. Steamed until tender and juicy, these flavorful dumplings are served with a tangy soy and rice vinegar dipping sauce, perfect for a comforting dim sum experience at home.

  • Author: Jeannette
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 dumplings 1x
  • Category: Dim Sum
  • Method: Steaming
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

  • 150g plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 20ml water (more if needed)

Filling

  • 100g pork mince
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 5 mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp oyster sauce
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

Dipping Sauce

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • A few thin strips of ginger
  • 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough: In a bowl, combine the plain flour, egg, salt, and water. Use chopsticks to mix the ingredients until they come together. Add more water if the dough feels too dry. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth. Cover and set aside to rest.
  2. Make the filling: In another bowl, combine the pork mince, finely chopped spring onions, finely chopped mushrooms, sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly until a silky, smooth paste forms.
  3. Roll out and cut the dough: On a floured surface, roll the dough out until it is about 2-3mm thick. Cut into roughly 7cm wide squares (approximately 8 squares).
  4. Wrap the dumplings: Place a heaped teaspoon of filling into the center of each dough square. Gently cup the dumpling and gather the dough around the filling to form a basket shape, leaving the top of the filling exposed. For excess dough, you can dab water on the edge to fold over and seal the wrapper. Repeat until all filling and dough are used.
  5. Prepare the steamer: Cut out a circular piece of baking paper with holes and place it in your steamer basket, or alternatively brush the steamer with oil to prevent sticking.
  6. Steam the Siu Mai: Arrange the dumplings in the steamer basket, ensuring they don’t touch. Steam them over boiling water for about 10 minutes until cooked through and tender.
  7. Prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, thin strips of ginger, and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
  8. Serve: Carefully remove the Siu Mai from the steamer and serve hot with the prepared dipping sauce.

Notes

  • Adjust the water in the dough based on humidity and flour type for the perfect texture.
  • For easier handling, keep the dough covered while you work to prevent drying out.
  • You can substitute pork mince with ground chicken or shrimp for variations.
  • Steaming time might slightly vary depending on the size of your dumplings and steamer.
  • If unfamiliar with wrapping, watch a tutorial to perfect the basket shape.

Keywords: Siu Mai, Chinese Dumplings, Dim Sum, Pork Dumplings, Steamed Dumplings, Homemade Dumplings

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

Avatar photo

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆