Shumai 101: How to Make Dim Sum at Home 燒賣 | Hunger Pangs

ground pork

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground chicken is often less expensive.

shrimp

🥗Healthier: tofu

💰Cheaper: canned crab meat

Tofu is a plant-based alternative, while canned crab is often more affordable.

soy sauce

🥗Healthier: tamari

💰Cheaper: liquid aminos

Tamari is gluten-free, while liquid aminos is a less salty alternative.

sesame oil

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Olive oil offers heart-healthy fats, while canola is usually cheaper.

Add powdered unflavored gelatin into soy sauce and mix together. Let it bloom for about five minutes.

Dice pork belly into one-inch chunks and freeze for about 25 minutes to make it easier to grind.

Grind the pork belly in a food processor using 10 one-second pulses until finely ground.

Transfer the ground pork into a large bowl.

Add small peeled and deveined shrimp into the food processor and pulse coarsely for about five one-second pulses to achieve quarter-inch chunks.

Combine the ground pork and shrimp in the bowl.

Add the bloomed gelatin and soy sauce mixture to the filling.

Chop rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and add to the mixture along with water chestnuts, grated ginger, cilantro, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, salt, black pepper, sugar, and cornstarch.

Mix all the ingredients together until well combined, ensuring no spots are missed.

Take a dumpling wrapper and moisten it if it's dry. Place about a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center.

For the beginner's method, make eight crimps on the wrapper, then shape it into a circle with your thumb and second finger, tapping the top for an even surface.

Cover the shaped shumai with a damp paper towel to prevent drying out.

For the advanced method, use a bamboo spatula to shape the shumai directly in your hands, pressing the filling down to avoid air bubbles and creating an hourglass figure.

Prepare a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper sprayed with vegetable oil.

Place the shumai in the steamer, ensuring they are not touching each other, and steam until cooked through.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens