Surefire Siu Mai

Those of you familiar with the tradition of Dim Sum will recognize the delicacy in the title above as a standard for dim sum fare.

Dave and I learned how to cook chinese food during our 2 year wait. Following our November trip to Hawaii, where we had exquisite dim sum at a very well known chinese restaurant (Legends Seafood), we have rediscovered Siu Mai as a favorite snack.

Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking (of PBS fame) has a fabulous recipe for siu mai made with ground chicken. Lighter and less greasy than the pork versions, which are more common, they are simply delicious with the homemade mustard sauce also described in the book.

We thought we'd share Martin Yan's recipe with all of you. I recommend the book highly, and it is available through Amazon (link at left) and local booksellers. His books are also available through his website, Yan Can Cook.

Surefire Siu Mai
(makes 25 to 30 dumplings)

from Martin Yan’s Chinatown Cooking, ( c 2002 by A La Carte Communications)

For the filling:
2 dried black mushrooms
1 lb ground chicken
¼ c. minced bamboo shoots
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 green onion, trimmed and minced
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp salt
½ tsp minced ginger
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp sesame oil
pinch of ground white pepper

30 siu mai wrappers (these are round; you can also use wonton wrappers)
3 Tbls grated carrot
2 Tbls frozen peas, thawed
lettuce leaves or napa cabbage leaves

Mustard-Soy Dipping Sauce

1. Pour enough warm water over the mushrooms in a small bowl to cover completely. Let soak until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms, discard stems, and mince caps.
2. Make the filling: Stir the ground chicken, bamboo shoots, egg, green onion, soy sauce, salt, ginger, sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, pepper, and mushrooms together in a bowl until thoroughly combined and spongy.
3. Make the dumplings: Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center or a siu mai wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.) Bring the sides of the wrapper together, bunching them around the filling and smoothing any pleats. Flatten the bottom of the dumpling by tapping against a firm surface, and squeeze the sides of the dumpling gently so the filling plumps out of the top. Place a few shreds of carrot and a pea in the filling. Set the dumpling on a baking sheet and repeat. Keep the formed dumplings covered with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
4. Prepare a wok (or large pan) for steaming. Line a steaming basket with lettuce leaves. Arrange half the dumplings, without touching one another, in the basket. Cover and steam over high heat until the filling is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the dumplings to a serving platter and cover with foil, shiny side down, to keep them warm while you steam the remaining dumplings. Serve the dumplings warm with the dipping sauce.
   

Mustard-Soy Dipping Sauce

Stir together 4 teaspoons mustard powder (Coleman’s is good) and 4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar in a small bowl until smooth. Add ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, and 1 tsp chili sauce (or chili garlic sauce), and whisk until smooth. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to develop the flavors. Refrigerate up to 1 week, and bring to room temperature before serving.