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Cantonese Shumai with Pork and Shrimp Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 128 reviews

Delight in the authentic flavors of Cantonese cuisine with this traditional Shumai recipe, featuring a flavorful pork and shrimp filling wrapped in tender dumpling skins. Steamed to perfection, these bite-sized delights are garnished with peas and carrots, and served with a tangy Chinkiang vinegar and ginger dipping sauce for a truly satisfying appetizer or snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Wrappers and Garnishes

  • 30 Hong Kong Style dumpling wrappers, thawed if using frozen
  • Frozen peas, for garnish (Optional)
  • 1 large carrot, sliced thinly into rounds (Optional)

Filling

  • 1/2 lb shelled and deveined raw shrimp
  • 10 oz ground pork (20% fat)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar
  • 1/2 thumb ginger, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Prepare the filling without a food processor: Reserve 3 to 4 shrimp, and chop them into small pieces. Mince the rest of the shrimp as finely as possible. Combine the shrimp, pork, egg, and cornstarch in a bowl. Beat the mixture vigorously with chopsticks or a wooden spatula until very sticky. Add the Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, sugar, salt, white pepper powder, toasted sesame oil, and the reserved chopped shrimp pieces. Mix thoroughly until smooth and sticky.
  2. Prepare the filling with a food processor: Reserve 3 to 4 shrimp and chop them into small pieces. Pulse the remaining shrimp in the food processor until coarsely chopped. Add ground pork, eggs, cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, grated ginger, sugar, salt, white pepper powder, and toasted sesame oil to the processor. Blend until the filling is finely chopped and sticky. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the reserved chopped shrimp pieces.
  3. Assemble the shumai: Place one dumpling wrapper on a clean surface and lightly moisten the edge with water. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of the wrapper. Bring the edges up around the filling, pinching and pleating while leaving the top open. Use your thumb and index finger to gently press the top to form a rounded shape while packing the filling firmly. Garnish each shumai with a pea on top and place a carrot slice at the bottom if using. Repeat with all wrappers.
  4. Prepare the steamer: Line your steamer basket with a clean, damp cheesecloth or steaming parchment, or use carrot slices as a liner. Arrange the shumai inside the steamer basket, leaving about one finger’s width between each to prevent sticking.
  5. Steam the shumai: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Place the steamer basket over the pot and cover. Steam the shumai for 7 to 8 minutes until the filling is fully cooked and the wrappers are tender.
  6. Serve: Serve the shumai hot, accompanied by a dipping sauce made from Chinkiang vinegar and thinly sliced ginger. They also pair well on their own as a delicious appetizer or snack.
  7. Store and cook frozen shumai: Place uncooked shumai on a lightly greased baking sheet spaced apart by one finger’s width. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen shumai to airtight bags or containers for long-term storage. When ready to eat, steam frozen shumai directly without thawing for approximately 15 minutes until thoroughly cooked.

Notes

  • Using fresh dumpling wrappers will yield the best texture, but frozen wrappers work well if properly thawed.
  • For a firmer filling texture, avoid over-processing the mixture in the food processor.
  • Garnish shumai with peas for color and carrot slices at the bottom to prevent sticking during steaming.
  • Chinkiang vinegar dipping sauce with sliced ginger enhances the shumai’s flavor and balances richness.
  • Shumai can be steamed from frozen; no need to thaw before cooking.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste, especially with soy sauce and salt, based on dietary preferences.

Keywords: Cantonese shumai, pork and shrimp dumplings, steamed dumplings, Chinese dim sum, Shao Mai recipe, traditional Cantonese recipe

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