Best Shao Mai Pork Dumplings Wtih Spicy Dipping Sauce Recipes

SHUMAI (SHRIMP & PORK DUMPLINGS 燒賣)

Steps:

• Season Shrimps: Pat dry the shrimps with paper towels. Place the chopped shrimps in a medium mixing bowl. Add in 1 tsp cornstarch and ¼ tsp salt.
• Season Ground Pork: Place the ground pork in a large mixing bowl. Pour in 1 tbsp cornstarch, ½ tsp ground white pepper, ½ tsp sugar, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 2 tsp regular soy sauce, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 2 tbsp unsalted chicken stock.
• Make Pastes: Squeeze and mix the seasoned ground pork with your hands, then throw it against the mixing bowl until it resembles a paste-like consistency. Wash your hands and do the same with the seasoned shrimps. Put the pastes into the fridge and prepare the remaining ingredients.
• Prepare Ingredients: Finely chop ¾ stalk of green onions and 1 - 2 pieces of re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms. Use a microplane grater to grate the 2 ginger slices.
• Mix Ingredients: Remove the pork and shrimp pastes from the fridge. Pour all the ingredients into the ground pork paste mixing bowl. Squeeze and mix the ingredients with your hands until blended. Remember to throw the paste against the mixing bowl!!
• Wrap Shumai: Place a wonton wrapper on one hand. Scoop roughly ¾ - 1 tbsp mixed paste on the wonton wrapper with a butter knife or the dull end of a spoon. Then, wrap it into a cylinder shape with an open top (see video) Place a parchment liner into the bamboo steamer, then place the Shumai on the liner. Close the bamboo steamer lid.
• Pressure Cook Shumai: Place a steamer rack and pour one cup of water into an electric pressure cooker. Place the bamboo steamer filled with Shumai into the pressure cooker. Close lid and pressure cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes. Wait for another 5 minutes and do a Quick Release. OR Cook Shumai on Stovetop: Steam the Shumai on high heat for 10 - 12 minutes on the stovetop.
• Serve: Remove the bamboo steamer from the pot and enjoy them immediately.

PORK DUMPLINGS WITH SOY DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim away top of onion, then cut in half, leaving the root intact; peel away and discard the skin. Lay halves flat on a cutting board, then make vertical slices, stopping at the root so the onion half stays intact. Then slice crosswise to a small, uniform dice. Place in a bowl and set aside. Smash, peel, and finely mince garlic. Add to the bowl with the onions. Use a peeler or spoon to remove ginger skin. Slice into thin coins, then julienne as thinly as possible. Cut crosswise to mince. Add to bowl with onions and garlic.
• In a large sauté pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, a pinch of salt, and a few cranks of black pepper until slightly caramelized, 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, finely mince garlic chives. Stir aromatics, then cook 1-2 more minutes.Make the dipping sauce: In a bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and brown sugar. Whisk to combine. Add star anise and set aside. Add minced chives and another pinch of salt to the aromatics. Cook until chives begin to soften, about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a plate or bowl to cool completely, 30 minutes. (Alternatively, cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.)
• Once the aromatics have cooled, finish the dumpling filling: In a large bowl, add pork. Place tofu in a small strainer set over a second bowl; use a wooden spoon to gently press excess water out of the tofu. Add drained tofu to the pork, along with the aromatics, hoisin sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well. (Use your hands for quicker, more even mixing.) In a skillet, heat ½ teaspoon oil over medium heat. Cook a small patty of the dumpling filling; taste and adjust seasoning with hoisin sauce or salt as needed.
• Fill and fold dumplings: Fill a small bowl with water and place it nearby. Place a tablespoon of filling in a wrapper. Use your finger to "paint" a little water halfway around the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper shut and pinch to close, making a half moon shape. (Optional: Make a pleat in the middle, or pleat all the way around.) Wrapper edges should be flush and completely sealed, and there should be no air bubbles in the dumpling. Place each finished dumpling on a sheet pan, and repeat until you've used all the filling. (Optional: Freeze any dumpling mixture you want to save for another time; defrost before using.) To store uncooked dumplings, place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze completely; then pack them into plastic freezer bags. Frozen dumplings will last 2-3 weeks. (Note: They do not refrigerate well.)
• Cook dumplings: Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add just enough oil to coat the bottom, about 1 tablespoon. Add dumplings in an even layer, about 10. Brown the dumplings on one side, 2-3 minutes. Then carefully add about ¼ inch of water, and immediately place the lid on top of the pan; steam until nearly all the water evaporates, 3-5 minutes. Remove the cover and allow the dumplings to fry again, just long enough to fully brown. Once they are fully browned, flip to slightly crisp the other side, about a minute. Plate and serve the dumplings immediately with dipping sauce. (Note: To cook frozen dumplings, follow the same procedure, but with slightly more water so they steam a little longer and cook through.)

SHAO MAI (PORK DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Combine the pork, water chestnuts, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, sugar, ginger, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well to combine (hands work well for this). Place a dumpling wrapper in the palm of one hand and cup it loosely. Place a generous tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper. With your free hand, gather the sides of the wrapper around the filling, letting the wrapper pleat naturally. Squeeze the middle gently and tap the dumpling to flatten the bottom so that it can stand upright. The meat filling will show a little at the top. Make the remaining dumplings in the same manner.
• Arrange filled dumplings about 1/4 inch apart in two steamer trays that have been lined with wet cheesecloth. (At this point, you can refrigerate dumplings, covered, for 24 hours.)
• When ready to steam, fill a wok or lower part of a steamer with water so that it comes within an inch of the steamer tray, and bring to a rolling boil. Stack the steamer trays in the wok or steamer, cover tightly, and steam dumplings for 20-25 minutes over high heat, reversing the trays after 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer dumplings to a platter and serve with Spicy Dipping Sauce.
• Combine ingredients in a small bowl and serve with Pork Dumplings.

THAI-STYLE DUMPLINGS WITH CORIANDER DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the filling:
• In a bowl combine well the scallion, the pork, the gingerroot, the bell pepper, the cabbage, the garlic, the oil, the soy sauce, the coriander, the egg, and salt and pepper to taste and chill the filling for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Put about 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of 1 of the wrappers and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Gather the edge of the wrapper up and around the filling and form a waist with the wrapper, pushing the dumpling from the bottom and keeping the filling level with the top of the wrapper. (The filling should not be enclosed.) Continue to make dumplings with the remaining wrappers and filling in the same manner and arrange them in one layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper dusted lightly with the cornstarch. (The dumplings may be prepared up to this point 8 hours in advance and kept uncovered and chilled or 1 month in advance and kept covered tightly and frozen. If the dumplings are frozen, do not thaw them in advance.)
• Make the sauce:
• In a bowl whisk together the naam pla, the lime juice, the vinegar, the sugar, the gingerroot, the mint, the coriander, salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large non-stick skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it fry half the dumplings, flat sides down, over moderately high heat for 1 minute, or until the undersides are golden. Add 1/2 cup water and steam the dumplings, covered, over moderate heat for 3 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through. (If using frozen dumplings, fry them, frozen, for 1 minute, or until the undersides are golden, and steam them, adding 3/4 cup water per batch, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.) Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and cook the remaining dumplings in the same manner. Garnish the dumplings with the coriander sprigs and serve them with the sauce.