Dim Sum – Shaomai (Shoe My)

I miss dim sum. Carts of food being catered to you, with a moving roundtable full of food and sauces. An experience that everyone must enjoy throughout ones life. I encountered dim sum while living in Dallas, Texas. It became a weekly religion and went down on Sunday mornings. A table full of friends and good food. When returning to Milwaukee, it became something I was in search of, but nothing like the dim sum in Texas. Sure there is the Peony restaraunt that is supposed to have a Sunday dim sum, but it is pretty darn weak. For those that are used to dim sum, you know what I am talking about; siao pao, potstickers, chicken feet, meatballs, shrimp rolls, and shaomai. The possibilities are endless. I think about dim sum a lot and got fed up, so I decided to make shaomai this weekend.

Shaomai is basically a steamed dumpling, opened up, and stuffed with pork and shrimp. Once fully steamed, it can be dunked in a delicious sauce made from soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, and vinegar.

Keep in mind that this recipe make a lot of meat mixture, which is ok, because you can freeze this, and use for potstickers, or future shumai.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of cleaned, raw shrimp (devieined, shell off)
• 1 pound of ground pork
• pinch of salt
• pinch of black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1/2 small onion
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp of cornstarch
• 2 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
• 1/2 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• Wonton wrappers
• Leaves of Napa cabbage for steaming

Begin with a food processor and add your pork, shrimp, ginger, salt and pepper, vinegar, sesame oil, cilantro, onion, and egg whites, and pulse to a smooth mixture. Next pulse in the corn starch. When you are ready, bring a pot of water to a boil. To your steamer, add in the cabbage leaves to line the steamer. I have a two tier wooden steamer which worked out really well, of which holds about 10 dumplings when steaming.

Begin by taking a wonton wrapper and holding it in the cup of your hand; make like a c-shape with your hand and lay the wrapper in the c. With a wet spoon, add about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture and place into the center of the wrapper. Fold around the edges, and flatten the bottom, so it make a little purse. Continue this process until you are done with the purses. Once ready, carefully add the purses into the steamers and cook for roughly 13 minutes.

Once ready, make your favorite asian dipping sauce. You can buy your own, Gyoza style sauce, or simply dip in soy sauce. I make my own by adding to a bowl soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, sugar, and sriracha. Dunk the shaomai into the sauce and enjoy. Do it again, because you will enjoy. Do it again, trust me… you will enjoy.

Have you had any great dim sum experiences? I would love to hear to them.