It's easy to make your own dim sum at home. This is a fun first course that really isn't very hard to do.
1/2 Pound Ground Pork
1/2 Pound Ground Chicken
1/2 Pound Bay Shrimp, minced
5 Dried Shiitake Mushroom, soaked in hot water, destemmed and minced
1/4 Cup Minced Waterchestnuts
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Ginger
2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Cilantro
2 Minced Green Onions
2 Tablespoons Minced Shallots
1/2 Teaspoon Fish Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Rice Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
2 Egg Whites, whipped, about 1/3C
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon chicken broth
1/2 Lemon, juiced
40 Round Wonton Wrappers, Square wrappers are OK if you can't find round
1 Cup Frozen Peas, optional
Canola Oil, for brushing or spraying the steamer
Minced Green Onions, for garnish
- To make the filling: In a large mixing bowl combine the shrimp, pork, chicken, mushrooms, water chestnuts, ginger, cilantro, and green onions. Mix the fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, egg whites, seasoning, corn starch and lemon juice, then add to the meat mixture and mix well..
- To make the shumai: Hold a wonton wrapper in your hand (or put it in a small muffin pan: see this Cool Tip). Gather the edges of the wrapper and squeeze the sides together with your fingers forming a little pleated cup. Using a small scoop or disher, put filling - approximately 3/4 Tablespoon - into the center of each wrapper. (The sides will naturally pleat, leaving the filling slightly exposed.) Tap the dumpling on the table so the bottom is flat and it stands upright, then set aside on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Top each shumai with a pea. (You can freeze any leftover filling.)
- Put a few inches of water in your wok, put the wok steamer on top and heat your wok and wok steamer, covered, over high heat until very hot. This will help keep the suimai from sticking to the steamer.
- Lightly spray or brush oil in the bottom of the wok steamer. Stand the dumplings in the steamer in a single layer, taking care that they don't touch one another. Cover the steamer in the wok and steam until the shumai feel firm, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Serve the shumai immediately garnished with green onions and accompanied by soy sauce or dipping sauces of your choice.
