Siu mai (pork & prawn dumplings)
Open-top pork and prawn siu mai, steamed until tender with shiitake and water chestnut crunch — perfect for a dim sum night in.
Siu mai are the show‑off dumplings of any dim sum spread — open‑topped, juicy and ridiculously moreish. This pork and prawn version balances rich fat from the mince with the sweetness of prawns and a satisfyingly crunchy hit from water chestnut.
Make them for a weekend feast or when you want to impress without faff: once you’ve mixed the filling, shaping is a relaxing, slightly addictive job. Steam and eat hot for best texture and flavour.
Ingredients
- 400 g Minced pork (20% fat)
- 150 g Raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- 50 g Fresh shiitake mushrooms
- 60 g Water chestnuts, tinned, drained
- 3 Spring onions — finely sliced (reserve a little for garnish)
- 20 g Fresh ginger — finely grated
- 25 ml Light soy sauce
- 15 ml Shaoxing wine
- 10 ml Sesame oil
- 15 g Cornflour
- 5 g Caster sugar
- 5 ml White pepper
- 5 g Salt
- 24 Wonton wrappers
- 1 Carrot — small, cut into very small dice for topping
- 15 ml Vegetable oil — for oiling steamer/parchment
- 60 ml Water — cold, to loosen filling
Equipment
- Bamboo steamer or metal steamer basket
- Parchment squares or steamer liners
- Small ice‑cream scoop or tablespoon for portioning
Instructions
Finely chop the fresh shiitake mushrooms, drain and finely chop the water chestnuts, roughly chop the raw prawns then mince, finely slice the spring onions and grate the fresh ginger. Keep the small dice of carrot for topping to one side.
In a large mixing bowl combine the minced pork, chopped prawns, shiitake, water chestnuts, most of the sliced spring onions (reserve a little for garnish), grated ginger, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, cornflour, caster sugar, white pepper, salt and the water. Mix briskly with a spatula or by hand until the mixture becomes tacky and holds together — this helps the filling steam juicy and bind.
Prepare your work surface: scatter a little cornflour or keep a damp cloth to stop wrappers drying. Take a wonton wrapper, place roughly 18–20 g of filling in the centre (about a heaped dessertspoon), press the filling down slightly, bring up the edges and pleat around to form an open‑topped purse. Press the base lightly so it sits flat. Top each dumpling with a few dice of carrot and a tiny scatter of spring onion.
Line a bamboo steamer or metal steamer basket with parchment squares or lightly oiled cabbage leaves; brush the lining with a little vegetable oil so dumplings don’t stick. Bring a shallow wok or steamer pot of water to a gentle simmer on the hob.
Arrange up to 12 siu mai in the steamer without them touching (you may need two batches). Place the steamer over the simmering water, cover and steam the first batch for 10 minutes.
Steam the remaining batch for 10 minutes in the same way.
Remove the steamer from the hob and leave covered for 2 minutes to settle. Transfer siu mai to a serving plate, finish with a tiny drizzle of sesame oil and a scatter of the reserved spring onion. Serve immediately with light soy sauce or chilli oil for dipping.
Tips
- Use pork with around 20% fat — lean mince makes dry siu mai. If yours is lean, add a tablespoon more water.
- Chop the prawns and mushrooms finely so the filling binds evenly; a mini food processor pulse works well.
- If wrappers start to dry while you work, cover them with a damp tea towel — dry wrappers crack when pleated.
- Make ahead: assemble and freeze raw siu mai on a tray, then seal in a bag; steam from frozen for 14–16 minutes.
- Avoid boiling water under the steamer — a steady simmer gives even, glossy wrappers.
Substitutions
Minced pork (20% fat) → Pork shoulder mince, same quantity
Stays closeRaw prawns, peeled and deveined → Omit prawns and add 100 g extra minced pork for a purely pork siu mai
Stays closeWonton wrappers → Gyoza wrappers or dumpling skins, same quantity
Stays closeWonton wrappers → Gluten‑free dumpling wrappers (if available), same quantity
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 498
- Calories
- 28 g
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I freeze these?
Yes — freeze individual uncooked siu mai on a tray until solid, then transfer to a sealed bag. Steam from frozen for 14–16 minutes (do not defrost).
How do I stop the wrappers getting soggy?
Keep wrappers covered with a damp cloth while you work, don’t overcrowd the steamer and use a gentle simmer under the steamer rather than a rolling boil.
How long will leftovers keep?
Cooked siu mai keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 48 hours; reheat by steaming for 4–5 minutes until piping hot.
Can I make them vegetarian?
Replace pork and prawns with finely chopped firm tofu plus grated king oyster mushrooms and shredded carrot; texture and flavour will be noticeably different but still tasty.
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