Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai is one of my favourite dim sum dishes. Juicy pork, bouncy shrimp and a thin wonton wrapper all in one bite. The best part? You can make a whole basket at home and eat it all yourself.
Table of Contents
- Watch How to Make It
- What is Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai?
- Ingredients for Making Siu Mai
- How to Wrap Siu Mai
- How to Store Siu Mai
watch how to make it
what is pork & shrimp siu mai?
Pork and shrimp siu mai is a classic Cantonese dim sum dumpling and definitely one of the most popular items on the menu whenever I go to dim sum.
These dumplings are open-topped, made with thin yellow wonton wrappers, and filled with a mix of juicy pork and shrimp. They’re sometimes topped with fish roe or minced carrot.
Traditionally, siu mai is served steamed in bamboo baskets. You don’t have to enjoy them only at restaurants, you can easily make them at home and enjoy the whole basket all to yourself!
ingredients for making siu mai
minced pork
Traditionally, siu mai is made with a combination of lean pork and cubes of pork fat, but for home cooking it’s much easier to use minced pork with about 20% fat. This gives you the same juicy texture without the extra prep.
If you’d like an alternative, minced chicken works too, although it will give a lighter flavour and texture.
shrimp
Shrimp is another improtant ingredient in siu mai because it adds natural sweetness and that signature bouncy, springy texture to the filling. I usually buy frozen raw shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined, so all I have to do is defrost it and use it right away.
For the best texture, I like to divide the shrimp portion into two. Half gets minced into a paste, and the other half is chopped into little pieces, which gives the dumpling a nice mix of bouncy and tender texture.
dried shiitake mushrooms
Dim sum restaurants don’t always put shiitake mushrooms in siu mai, so this is totally optional. But I like adding dried shiitake mushrooms because they give the filling a rich umami flavour that fresh mushrooms don’t have.
To use them, soak the mushrooms in room-temperature water overnight, or if you’re short on time, use hot water for 20–30 minutes until they’re soft and plump. Squeeze out the excess water before chopping, but don’t throw the soaking liquid away, it’s perfect for adding extra flavour to the minced pork filling!
siu mai wrappers
For siu mai, you can use the same yellow wonton wrappers you usually find in the frozen section of any Asian supermarket. If you see a few options, go for the thin ones and the round-shaped ones. If you can’t find round wrappers, don’t worry, just cut off the corners (which is what I usually do!). You also don’t have to waste the cut-off pieces, you can add them into soups, noodles or stir-fries!
I love using this brand of wonton wrappers because they’re thin and perfect for siu mai.
I actually saw a Chinese chef on Youtube stacking the wonton wrappers and using a rolling pin to roll them out a bit, making them slightly bigger and thinner. And I thought that was genius!
how to wrap siu mai
- Make a “C” shape with your left hand and place a wonton wrapper on top.
- Add about 1.5 teaspoons of filling into the centre. Use a small spoon to gently press the filling downward into the curve of your palm.
- Rest the dumpling on your ring finger to form a flat base. Use the back of the spoon to flatten the filling while rotating the dumpling and gently squeezing with your thumb and index finger.
- Repeat for all dumplings.
how to store siu mai
To keep your siu mai fresh, it’s best to freeze them uncooked. Start by arranging the dumplings on a tray in a single layer, making sure they don’t touch so they won’t stick together. Freeze them for a couple of hours until solid, then transfer them to a ziplock bag. Frozen siu mai will keep well for up to a month, ready to cook straight from the freezer.
When you’re ready to eat, steam the frozen siu mai for 12–15 minutes, until they’re heated through and cooked in the centre. There’s no need to thaw them first, as steaming from frozen helps them hold their shape and prevents them from getting soggy.
looking for more steamed dishes?
Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai
2
servings20
minutes10
minutesMake classic Cantonese Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai dim sum at home with juicy pork, bouncy shrimp and silky wonton wrappers.
Keep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
250 g minced pork
150 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and diced
15 -20 pieces of yellow wonton wrappers
30 g carrot, minced (garnish)
- Siu mai filling marinade:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tsp chicken powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp reserved mushroom water (from soaking dried shiitake mushrooms)
1 tbsp sesame oil
Directions
- Prep the wrappers: Stack the wonton wrappers and gently roll them with a rolling pin to make them slightly bigger and thinner. Set aside.
- Prep the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with a kitchen towel. Divide the portion in half — mince one half and chop the other half into small chunks for texture.
- Make the filling: In a bowl, combine the minced pork, shrimp, diced shiitake mushrooms, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, chicken powder, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch, mushroom soaking liquid, and sesame oil. Mix until the filling becomes sticky. The stickiness helps the filling hold together when shaping the dumplings.
- Shape the siu mai: Make a “C” shape with your left hand and place a wonton wrapper on top. Add about 1.5 teaspoons of filling into the centre. Use a small spoon to gently press the filling downward into the curve of your palm. Rest the dumpling on your ring finger to form a flat base. Use the back of the spoon to flatten the filling while rotating the dumpling and gently squeezing with your thumb and index finger. Repeat for all dumplings.
- Garnish: Top each dumpling with a small amount of minced carrot.
- Steam the siu mai: Add about 2 inches of hot water to a deep wok. Place a bamboo steamer on top and line it with parchment paper (poke some holes in the paper for steam circulation). Place the siu mai inside. Turn the heat to high, and once the water starts to boil, steam for 8–10 minutes.
- Serve: Enjoy immediately with your favourite chilli oil and soy sauce.
Recipe Video
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what is the best time to freeze these sui mai? before or after they were cooked? thank you
Hi Sherub! I recommend freezing them uncooked. Put the dumplings on a tray in a single layer, making sure they don’t touch so they won’t stick together. After a couple of hours, once they’re frozen solid, transfer them to a ziplock bag. You can keep them in the freezer for up to a month. I’ll update my blog post to explain it a bit more clearly! 🙂
Hi, I’d like to recreate this recipe and was wondering if it was possible to add scaling?
I have ~ 2 lbs of pork and shrimp.
Hey Joey! Thanks so much for the feedback 🙂 I’ve updated the recipe card so the servings are now adjustable, and I’ll make sure to include that feature in my future recipes too. Thanks for pointing that out!
I made this today. O.M.G.!! Soooo gooood. Easy, quick too, kinda. Wow!
That’s great to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you Steve 🙂
I just made this today, and it hit the spot. Other than the gargantuan size of the siu mai because I just don’t know how to wrap it well, it was easy and delicious with lots of good flavour. Also froze some for when the craving hits again. Thank you!
That’s awesome!! Thanks so much for your message Fei 🙂