{"id":110400,"title":"Siu Mai (\u70e7\u5356) Recipe \u2013 Chinese Steamed Dumplings","modified":"2025-10-29T17:06:37+01:00","plain":"Siu mai, also called xiu mai or \u201cbouchons\u201d on R\u00e9union Island, are one of my favorite dim sum dishes. Why? Easy to fold and deliciously juicy\u2014I eat them by the dozen without getting a stomachache afterward. That\u2019s what I call having your cake and eating it too.\n\n\n\nWhat are siu mai?\n\n\n\nOriginally from northern China, siu mai spread throughout across China and then the rest of the world, taking on many different forms to suit local tastes. For example, these steamed dumplings are known as R\u00e9unionese bouchons.\n\n\n\nThe famous R\u00e9union Island bouchons, steamed in their basket\/rice cooker\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ve probably already tried the extremely popular Cantonese version; it\u2019s a staple of Chinese restaurants around the world.\n\n\n\nThey\u2019re simple open-faced steamed dumplings\u2014little, loosely sealed cylinders filled with savory meat. Enough daydreaming; let\u2019s cover a few quick notes before diving into the recipe.\n\n\n\nFor a complete dim sum meal, serve siu mai with Xiao Long Bao\n\n\n\nWhy do we \u201cwash\u201d pork?\n\n\n\nWhen dim sum restaurants serve pork, they traditionally prefer a much paler appearance (as opposed to the smoky, charred, dark look of barbecued pork).\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s primarily an aesthetic choice. Rinsing also helps remove some of the metallic, blood-like taste.\n\n\n\nKeep in mind that the longer you rinse, the more you\u2019ll wash away nutrients (like iron).\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tSiu Mai (\u70e7\u5356) - Chinese Steamed Dumplings\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tpanier vapeur\t\n\t\n\t\tMain Ingredients20 siu mai wrappers (or use wonton wrappers)227 g pork113 g shrimp (peeled and deveined)4 dried shiitake mushrooms (pieces)15 g carrot (finely chopped for garnish)Marinade1 tablespoon light soy sauce2 tablespoons oyster sauce0.5 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch0.5 teaspoon baking soda2 tablespoons water0.5 teaspoon white pepper1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder1 tablespoon sesame oil1 teaspoon sunflower oilSiu Mai Dough100 g wheat flour50 ml hot water1 egg yolkcornstarch (for dusting)\t\n\t\n\t\tSiu Mai DoughIn a mixing bowl, gradually stir the water into the flour.Add the egg yolk and knead until a smooth dough forms.Let rest, covered, for 30 minutes.Divide into pieces of about 5g.Roll into balls, flatten them, and roll out to make discs about 7.5cm. Dust well with cornstarch to keep them from sticking to one another.While you form the remaining discs, cover with a damp towel.Ingredient PreparationRehydrate the mushrooms in hot water for 10\u201315 minutes. Squeeze out as much water as possible, then finely mince.Slice the pork into strips, then mince. Soak in water and massage for 1\u20132 minutes. Let sit for 10\u201315 minutes. Drain in a colander and squeeze out as much water as possible by pressing firmly. Tip: bundle everything in a towel to make it easier.Wrap the shrimp in a paper towel and press to remove as much moisture as possible. Mince into small pieces.Slice the carrots, cut into strips, then into very fine pieces.The Famous MarinadeIn a bowl, combine the pork with the marinade ingredients and mix well for 2\u20133 minutes. Let rest for 15 minutes.Add the mushrooms and shrimp. Mix well for a few minutes, cover, and refrigerate for 4\u20138 hours. Yes, really.The Folding From HellLay a wrapper flat in your palm.Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling onto the wrapper and gently flatten it.Make a circle by pressing your index finger and thumb together, and place the wrapper on the circle. Shape your other fingers into a funnel.Using the handle end of a spoon, push down into the center of the wrapper, into the hole made by your fingers.Compress the filling in the wrapper by pressing with your spoon while supporting the sides with your fingers. Rotate the dumpling several times.Squeeze the bottom half of the dumpling to push some of the filling upward, then flatten the top with your spoon.If there isn't enough filling, add more and start over. I know it's hard to explain in writing, and I do plan to release a video eventually, but for now you'll have to make do.Top each dumpling with a few small pieces of carrot.Steam for about 12 minutes.\t\n\t\n\t\tCan I freeze my siu mai?\nYes,\u00a0BEFORE COOKING. They keep for about 1 month in the freezer. The process is simple:\u00a0\n\nSpread the siu mai out on a large tray, spacing them well, and freeze for 2 hours.\nOnce frozen, transfer them to a plastic bag. This prevents them from sticking together.\nLet them thaw completely in the fridge before using. In short, take them out of the freezer the night before.\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\tEntr\u00e9eChinoisebouchon vapeur, siu mai, xiu mai\t\n\n\n\n\n\nprimary source: The Woks of life","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110400"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110585,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110400\/revisions\/110585"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}