DIM SUM Lesson 1 - the Siu Mai

Last night, I decided to make dinner a little more extraordinary. DIM SUM. What? Dim sum is usually a morning or brunch thing but for dinner? Of course, this extends the meaning of ALL DAY BREAKFAST we are all accustom to. So why not with dim sum?

My menu:

Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai*
Glutinous rice with lap cheong, shiitake mushrooms and chinese parsley
Vegetable Chow Mein noodles

*see recipe and photo

Once again, I found the siu mai recipe online but I had to modify it because I knew what taste and texture I was looking for in a siu mai. The seasoning can be adjusted if you like a more robust flavour otherwise, the current measurements give an adequate taste for your tastebuds.

TIP - to make meat softer to the bite, add some water to the meat and mix well. It should be close to a paste than pieces of ground meat.

Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai (Shao Mai)
Makes 25 pieces
1/2 package wonton wrappers, round**
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound shrimp, deveined and finely chopped
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
1/3 cup of water

Garnish: Orange roe or 1 small quarter of a carrot, minced or some green peas
**If all you have on hand is square wonton wrappers, stack about 10 together at a time, place a round cookie cutter or drinking glass on top as a guide, and slice into square with a small knife.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the pork, shrimp, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, salt, pepper and water. Spoon a heaping teaspoon into the center of a wonton wrapper. Lightly brush the sides of the wrapper with egg wash. Squeeze the sides up until the wrapper forms a cup, tucking in the sides and leaving the filling exposed on top. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers. Garnish with orange roe/chopped carrots or 2 peas.
Line a large bamboo steamer with parchment paper. Fit steamer in a wok and fill water until 1/2-inch below bottom of the steamer. Steam for 12 to 15 minutes, until filling is firm to the touch. Serve hot. Optional condiments: soy sauce, chili sauce, chili oil.
For better texture, use a fattier type of ground pork.