Sew Mai Dumplings

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 8 to 10 dumplings
  • Total: 1 hr 30 min (includes chilling time)
  • Active: 30 min
Dim sum literally translates to "fill the heart." I love filling my belly with this Cantonese breakfast! It originated in little tea houses in southern China that served steamed and fried bites with your choice of tea and is the modern version of a culinary swap meet. Masses of people all competing for fresh cooked bites of food auctioned off carts. These are my favorite type of dumpling. Shaped like drums, stuffed with shrimp and pork, they are the best.
Advertisement

Ingredients

5 Chinese dried black mushrooms

3/4 pound (340 grams) coarsely ground pork (pork butt)

1/2 pound (240 grams) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons (22 milliliters) oyster sauce

1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) sesame oil

2 teaspoons (10 grams) sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch white pepper

1 package round Hong Kong-style dumpling skins

Soy sauce, chile garlic sauce and hot mustard, for serving

Directions

  1. For the filling: Reconstitute the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Rinse them, remove the stems and chop them into small dice.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms with the pork, shrimp, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. (You may also use a mixer with a paddle attachment.) Cover the mixture and let it rest for at least 1 hour and up to overnight in the refrigerator.
  3. To assemble the dumplings: Lay a dumpling skin on your work surface. Place about 2 tablespoons filling in the center. Hold the filling in place with your fingers and use the other hand to twist the skin around the filling. While twisting, make sure to flatten the top of the filling into the skin. Place the bottom of the dumpling on the work surface and flatten it out. Repeat this process until all the filling is gone.
  4. Steam the dumplings in a steamer basket on high heat until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
  5. I love eating these with soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and hot mustard.

Let's Get Cooking!

Sign up for the Recipe of the Day newsletter to receive editor-picked recipes,tips and videos delivered to your inbox daily. Privacy Policy

Thanks for subscribing to the Recipe of the Day newsletter. Check out all our other great newsletters from Easy Recipes, Healthy Eating Ideas and Chef Recipe Videos.

We're sorry, there was an error signing you up. Please try again later.

Advertisement

scott schieberl

Im a huge Jet fan and I am trying to master his techniques but I am a work in progress. OMG these were amazing. 1st I thought theres no seasoning, wheres the flavor? These were loaded with flavor make no mistake. I couldn’t master the OK and twist technique and I watched the video a few times but they came out close. Didn’t have a steamer of any kind so i used a cookie sheet, cookie cooling rack, aluminum foil w/slits and a brownie pan as a lid. Despite my archaic methods they held together and looked edible. I will now invest in a bamboo steamer and cook these more often. Shut the front door and close the windows these are outstanding!

See All Reviews