Siu Mai

These pork and prawn siu mai are one of my favourite dumplings to order at yum cha. Make them at home with this simple recipe.

For my birthday every year, I go to yum cha with my mum. It's become a tradition of sorts, one that I love and cherish and look forward when June rolls around. Not that I don't go to yum cha at any other time. I absolutely adore a yum cha lunch, and I go regularly to get my fix of treats. Going for my birthday just feels special, you know?

I could dedicate a whole post to my love for yum cha and what to order (maybe a future newsletter topic?). Rather than bore you with that, I'll keep it relevant. I love siu mai. My mum, does not. I think she finds them a little boring, especially lined up next to har gao, chicken feet or lor mai gai. But they hold a special place in my heart, and I always order them.

Siu mai are easy to make at home, and an apt choice for anyone who is not yet comfortable folding more intricate styles of Chinese dumplings. They require minimal folding technique - more of a bunching motion really - so they make for the perfect introductory dumpling. The filling varies depending on who you talk to, but I my favourite are the classic pork and prawn combination. My local yum cha also serve chicken siu mai, but I have never ordered them, opting for my tried and true favourite every time. Siu mai are a traditional Chinese dumpling, the pork filling being typical Cantonese style. They are steamed and presented with roe or diced carrot on top.

Make siu mai and create your own little yum cha moment at home! Watch the video here. If you make these, don't forget to tag me on TikTok or Instagram! I love to see it 🙂

Siu Mai

These pork and prawn siu mai are one of my favourite dumplings to order at yum cha. Make them at home with this simple recipe.

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Course: Savoury

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 40

Servings: -20 dumplings

Author: Andrea

Ingredients

250 g prawn meat
250 g pork mince
2 cm piece ginger finely chopped
1 spring onion finely chopped
3 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and finely chopped
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoon corn flour
~15-20 round wonton wrappers
2 tablespoon finely diced carrot optional
Soy sauce for serving
Hot chilli sauce for serving

Instructions

Finely chop prawn meat. Add to a bowl along with pork mince, ginger, spring onion, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper and corn flour.
Using chopsticks, stir filling in one direction until consistency becomes 'sticky'.
Place a wonton wrapper on your palm. Scoop approximately two tablespoons of filling on to the wrapper.
Move dumpling to rest on the sides of your thumb and pointer finger.
Using the back of a spoon, press the filling down gently, letting the wrapper naturally drop between your fingers. The sides of the dumpling wrapper should fold in. Add more filling if needed. Level filling to the top of the wrapper. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers. Watch the video for a visual example.
Line a bamboo steamer basket with grease-proof paper. Place dumplings in the basket, with a small amount of diced carrot on top for presentation (if using).
Place basket on top of a pan of simmering water. Steam siu mai for 10-12 minutes until cooked through.
Serve immediately with soy sauce and hot chilli sauce.