The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (2024)

2 May 2020

Last updated by Wes Radez on | 9

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This recipe is part of our collection of Steamed Dim Sum Dishes. Sign up for our newsletter to get recipes, dining tips and restaurant reviews throughout the year!

Traditional siu mai are filled exclusively with chopped pork, though some restaurants will include shrimp in the filling. Siu mai are wrapped in a fresh pasta skin that is left open, so that the filling peeks out of the top of the dumpling when served at the table.

Pork siu mai are one of the “Guangdong Big Three,” along with shrimp dumplings and steamed pork buns, a true staple of the original Cantonese dim sum tradition. The quality of a restaurant’s siu mai says a lot about how seriously it takes its dim sum.

Whether at the restaurant or at home, making great siu mai is all about the filling, which should retain a bright, fresh crunch out of the steamer. Start with the recipe below and then tweak to suit your own taste.

Can you share any expert tips from your experience making pork siu mai? Want to ask a question before you try making it yourself? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Pork Siu Mai Recipe

Makes: 30 | Prep Time: 30 Minutes | Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Adapted From: The Food of China: A Journey for Food Lovers

Ingredients

6 ounces shrimp
1/2 cup peeled water chestnuts
1 pound ground pork
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cornstarch
30 square or round egg dumpling wrappers

Directions

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, squeeze out as much moisture as possible and then roughly chop.

2. Blanch the water chestnuts for 1 minute, drop into cold water and then roughly chop.

3. Combine the shrimp, water chestnuts and the remaining filling ingredients (everything except the wrappers) in a large bowl and stir until well-combined.

4. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each wrapper. Form a circle with your thumb and forefinger and shape the dumpling, so that it forms a fat cylinder with an open top. Pat the top and bottom of the dumpling to create flat surfaces on either end.

5. Steam the dumplings standing up in bamboo steamers on top of oiled paper punched with holes for 15 minutes. Serve with soy sauce or chili sauce for dipping.

Learn more about Pork Siu Mai from these Experts

Watch Cooking Tips TV rather adoringly make Pork Siu Mai from their Hong Kong studio (VIDEO)
Thirsty for Tea makes Pork Siu Mai
The Dumpling Sisters make Pork Siu Mai in their home kitchen

HT: Photo by young via Wikimedia Commons.

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About The Author
Hi! I’m Wes, a dim sum lover in Oakland, California. I launched Dim Sum Central as a hobby and I’ve loved watching it grow to become an online home for people around the world who are passionate about eating and making dim sum! Get started »

The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (3)

The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (4)

The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (5)

9 Responses

  1. The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (6)
    • The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (7)
      Dim Sum Central

      |Reply

      Hi Boo, thanks for your note. If you’ll please look in the recipe ingredients, you’ll find the amount noted: 1lb of ground pork! ~Wes

  2. The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (8)
    Kathleen QuongVermeire

    |Reply

    Can i use rice paper as the wrapper.
    I have celic and cannot tolerant wheat

    • The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (9)
      Dim Sum Central

      |Reply

      I’m not sure, Kathleen! Give it a try and let us know! ~Wes

  3. The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (10)
    Inez

    |Reply

    I can’t eat shrimp. Can I replace the shrimp with 6 oz of more pork

    • The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (11)
      Wes Radez

      |Reply

      Hi Inez, yes, you can do that. In fact, all-pork variations of pork sui mai are quite common. The difference you may notice is that the final product is just very…dense and meaty. You may want to break up the consistency of the filling with Chinese mushrooms or water chestnuts. ~Wes

  4. The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (12)
    Rosalina Fletcher

    |Reply

    Hi Wes. I can’t shrimp. Can I replace it with fish instead.

    • The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (13)
      Wes Radez

      |Reply

      That should work, Rosalina. Use a firm fish that will hold together well. ~Wes

  5. The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (14)
    Camilla

    |Reply

    Great recipe. I’ve been using it for almost a year!

Leave a Reply

The Best Pork Siu Mai Recipe | Dim Sum Central (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between dim sum and dim sum? ›

A 'Dim Sim' is traditionally made with pork and cabbage wrapped in a delicate pastry skin. It is lightly seasoned and delivers a delicious meaty texture with each bite. 'Dim Sum' is an umbrella term and refers to a whole range of small dishes and parcels served at Yum Cha.

What is shumai sauce made of? ›

Sauce for Siu Mai

You'll find dumpling joints provide a selection of soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar or white vinegar and some kind of Chilli Paste, then you make your own. I usually do: 3 parts soy sauce. 1 part vinegar.

What's the difference between dim sum and yum cha? ›

What's the difference between dim sum and yum cha? Yum cha (飲茶) literally means 'to drink tea', whilst dim sum (點心) refers to the small plates of food. In English, if you are to have dim sum or go to yum cha, they are understood to be the same thing.

Is it siu mai or dim sum? ›

Dim Sim is the name of a Chinese-inspired snack that is shaped like a Siu Mai – i.e. a cylinder of meat and vegetable filling, partially wrapped in a pastry. Although the appearances are similar, Dim Sims and Siu Mai have different ingredients and taste completely different to one another.

Is dim sum good or bad for you? ›

She revealed that dim sums are among the healthiest eating-out options. Explaining the reason, the nutritionist mentioned that these are generally bite-sized, high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and steamed. According to Makhija, steamed foods are the healthiest and most versatile.

Why does dim sum taste so good? ›

One of the most enchanting aspects of dim sum is its diversity. From savory to sweet, steamed to fried, dim sum menus offer an eclectic mix of dishes that cater to every palate. Delve into baskets of delicate dumplings filled with succulent meats or fresh vegetables.

Which vinegar to use for dumplings? ›

Gold Plum Chinkiang Vinegar is a rice-based black vinegar widely used in Chinese cuisines. It also the perfect dipping sauce for soup dumplings (XLB).

What is the orange on top of shumai? ›

The better quality shumais will likely use a fish roe as a topper, which steams into tiny orange pearls. You won't taste it; it's purely ornamental. Some dim sum parlors, however, may choose to save money by using minced carrots or dried goji berries. Other times you may see shumai topped with a green pea.

Is pork hash the same as siu mai? ›

Differences Between Shumai And Pork Hash

Traditional shumai dumplings blend minced pork and shrimp with mushrooms, aromatics like garlic, ginger, green onions, and occasionally glutinous rice. Pork hash uses ground pork and diced shrimp blended with soy, oyster sauce, sesame oil, green onion, and garlic.

Why do Chinese drink tea after a meal? ›

Gongfu tea is best consumed after meal to help digestion. Brewing tea in a Yixing teapot can be done for private enjoyment as well as to welcome guests. Depending on the region of China, there may be differences in the steps of brewing as well as the tools used in the process.

What do Chinese people call dim sum? ›

The word dim sum is Cantonese and refers to small bite sized dishes that are served in bamboo steamer baskets or on small plates. The Chinese meaning of dim sum is commonly translated to “touch the heart”. These small portions of food can be savory or sweet and prepared steamed, baked or fried.

Why is dim sum not for dinner? ›

Simply because it is not filling enough. Dim Sum is something like snacks so it is not as filling as rice or noodles. Therefore, dim sum is only eaten at breakfast or lunch, but not dinner.

What is siu mai called in English? ›

/ʃuːˈmaɪ/ plural shumai. a small Chinese or Japanese dumpling (= a small piece of dough filled with meat or fish) cooked in steam: The chicken was a little overcooked, but the shumai were very good.

What is the English name for siu mai? ›

As prepared in Cantonese cuisine, siumaai is also referred to as "pork and mushroom dumpling".

What to serve with siu mai? ›

I would serve Siu Mai (Shu Mai) with perfectly fried Fried Shrimp Balls , Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce (my go-to vegetable dish at Dim Sum) and some kind of Fried Rice! If you are in the mood for more dumplings, I would make my Pork and Chive Dumplings!

Are there different types of dim sum? ›

Some estimates claim that there are at least two thousand types of dim sum in total across China, and about forty to fifty types are commonly sold outside of China. Dim sum restaurants typically have a wide variety of dishes, usually totaling several dozen. The tea is very important, just as important as the food.

Why do people say dim sum? ›

Dim sum means 'touch the heart' in Chinese. The small portions were designed to merely touch the heart not sate the appetite, and as such were first enjoyed as snacks. Over time, however, yum cha has evolved, and the cuisine is now a vital part of Chinese culture.

Are dim sum and dumplings the same thing? ›

Dumplings are balls of flour filled with a stuffing. Momos are also dumplings that contain some form of filling, be it vegetarian or meat. Dim sums are small snacks in Chinese cuisine that are eaten for lunch. They too have fillings covered with dough, but the dough is semi- or completely transparent.

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