There’s something about biting into a plump, juicy dumpling that makes me feel like I’m back at the Sunday dim sum table with my family. The pork and shrimp shumai is one of those “always order” dishes for me. That soft wrapper, the tender filling, and that little pop of savory-sweet soy dipping sauce – it’s pure comfort food.
I used to watch the bamboo steamers arrive at our table, clouds of steam rushing out, and my mom would always say, “Drink some hot tea, this will help cut the oil.” I never listened… and yet now, decades later, I find myself doing the exact same thing. Some habits stick.
This recipe is how I make shumai at home – sometimes with store-bought wrappers, sometimes from scratch, always with a big pot of tea nearby.
Why This Shumai Stays on My Regular Cooking List
For one, shumai looks fancier than it is. Guests think you’ve been working all day, when really the most time-consuming part is either making the wrappers or chopping the filling. Plus, you can steam them fresh or freeze them for a rainy-day snack.
I like that you can tweak the filling – my base is shrimp, pork, and mushrooms for that classic Cantonese flavor, but I’ve swapped mushrooms for water chestnuts when I wanted extra crunch, or added a hint of garlic chives when they were in season.
And there’s something satisfying about making a whole tray of dumplings, knowing they’ll disappear in minutes.
Wrapper Choices – Store-Bought vs. Homemade
I’ve made shumai both ways, and each has its perks.
- Store-bought wrappers are a lifesaver when I’m making shumai for a crowd. Look for thin, round ones (about 3¼ inches across). If you only find square wonton wrappers, just trim the corners with a cookie cutter. They steam up just fine.
- Homemade wrappers are a weekend project worth trying at least once. I like controlling the thickness – about 0.3 mm is perfect – and the flavor. A pasta machine is your best friend here; it’s the difference between a pleasant cooking session and an arm workout you didn’t sign up for.
Tip from experience: dust each wrapper with cornstarch before stacking, or you’ll end up peeling them apart like sticky stickers.
Making the Filling – My Quick Method
While the dough rests (if I’m making it from scratch), I prep the filling. I pulse the shrimp just enough to make them sticky but still with small chunks – it gives the shumai a nice bite. Then I mix it with ground pork, mushrooms, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper.
Before I start wrapping, I cook a teaspoon of the filling in the microwave. That way I can adjust seasoning before committing to wrapping 40 dumplings. It’s a trick I learned after oversalting a whole batch once. Lesson learned.
Wrapping Without the Stress
Shumai wrapping is surprisingly forgiving. Here’s how I do it:
- Make a circle with your thumb and index finger – that’s your “mold.”
- Place a wrapper over the circle.
- Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center.
- Gently press the sides up around the filling. The top should stay open so you can see the shrimp-pork mixture.
- Top with a tiny pinch of minced carrot for that classic dim sum look.
If the filling sticks to your fingers, dip them in a small bowl of water. It makes the shaping process much smoother.
Steaming Tips From My Kitchen
Steaming sounds simple, but it’s easy to end up with soggy bottoms or undercooked centers. Here’s how I avoid that:
- Always preheat the steamer before adding shumai – the cooking clock starts right away.
- Line the steamer with parchment or a leaf of napa cabbage so nothing sticks.
- Give each dumpling a little breathing room so steam can circulate.
- Ten minutes is usually enough, but I always check that the internal temp hits 165°F.
- Don’t peek while steaming – you’ll lose heat and slow the cooking.
And yes, keep an eye on the water level. I’ve run out before, and trust me, nothing smells worse than a burnt steamer pot.
Serving – My Favorite Ways
Fresh out of the steamer, shumai is irresistible. I like mine with a mix of soy sauce, black vinegar, and a spoonful of homemade chili crisp. Sometimes I’ll add them to a bigger dim sum spread with BBQ pork buns, Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce, and egg tarts.
If you make extra, they freeze beautifully. I let them cool, freeze on a tray, then store in an airtight container. They go from freezer to steamer in about 12–14 minutes.
Pork and Shrimp Shumai (Siomai)
These plump, flavorful Pork and Shrimp Shumai are a dim sum favorite you can now recreate in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
For the Dough (about 50 wrappers)
- 1 cup (160 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsp (3 oz) hot water
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt
For the Filling
- ½ lb shrimp, peeled and finely minced
- ½ lb ground pork
- 2 tbsp green onions, minced
- 2 tbsp dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp white pepper
- For Garnish & Serving
- Minced carrots (optional)
- Soy sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Make the Dough : In a small bowl, dissolve the salt into hot water. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl and slowly drizzle in the hot salted water, stirring with chopsticks or a spoon until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth. If it feels sticky, dust lightly with more flour; if too dry, add a few drops of water. Let the dough cool to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap, and rest for at least 30 minutes. It’s ready when a gentle press leaves a small indentation.
- Roll the dough through a pasta machine, stopping at the thinnest setting (about 0.3 mm). Use an 80 mm (3¼-inch) round cutter to make wrappers, stacking them with a light dusting of cornstarch between each to prevent sticking. These can be frozen for later use.
- Prepare the Filling : In a large bowl, combine minced shrimp, ground pork, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, ginger, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly until sticky. For a seasoning check, microwave a small pinch of filling for 10 seconds and adjust if needed.
- Shape the Shumai : Form a circle with your thumb and index finger and place a wrapper over it. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center, pressing the sides of the wrapper around the meat to form a cylinder, leaving the top exposed. Smooth the filling on top with damp fingers if needed, and garnish with minced carrot for color.
- Steam the Dumplings : Line a bamboo steamer with parchment or lettuce leaves. Bring water in your steamer base to a boil, then place shumai inside, leaving space between them. Steam for about 10 minutes per batch, until they feel springy and the filling reaches 165°F internally.
- Serve immediately with soy sauce for dipping.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 28 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 57Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 199mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 5g
Asianplated.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Reheating Without Losing Texture
For leftovers, I wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave in 30-second bursts until hot. Too long and they get rubbery, so I stop as soon as they’re steaming again.
Try other Filipino recipes:
