Original: English

Shumai (Steamed Dumplings)

Authentic shumai recipe that's easy to make even in a frying pan. Features a great texture and juiciness in the meat filling, with plenty of tips for beginners to easily wrap them. Includes instructions for freezing and thawing, this dish will change your concept of homemade shumai.

Steps

Roughly chop 1 onion (approx. 200g). Mince it coarsely using a food chopper or similar tool. Key Tip: Over-processing will ruin the texture, so aim for pieces that seem slightly too large. Cutting with a knife preserves a cleaner cut surface and better texture.
🕒 00:36
Place the minced onion in a ziplock bag and add 40g of potato starch. Shake well to coat evenly. Key Tip: Coating the onion with potato starch improves its adhesion to the meat, enhances its water retention, and helps maintain a crisp texture.
🕒 01:19
In a small bowl, grate 15g of ginger. Add 1 tsp (5g) salt, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cooking sake (rice wine), and approx. 10 shakes of black pepper. Mix lightly. Key Tip: Mixing these in advance will make the cooking process smoother. Stir gently to prevent settling.
🕒 01:51
In a large bowl, prepare 200g of ground pork and 200g of pork loin for tonkatsu. Key Tip: You can substitute thinly sliced pork for the loin, but loin cut will create a meatier texture and a more authentic finish.
🕒 02:29
Cut the pork loin into strips, then turn them on their side and dice them. Key Tip: Adding diced meat allows you to enjoy a meatier texture and a more authentic taste.
🕒 03:12
Add the ground pork, diced pork loin, and the mixed seasonings from Step 3 to the bowl. Knead thoroughly until the mixture turns white and sticky. Key Tip: Kneading develops stickiness in the meat, improving its water retention and binding everything together.
🕒 03:48
Gently incorporate the onion (coated with potato starch from Step 2) into the sticky meat mixture. Mix gently without crushing the onions. Key Tip: Crushing the onions can release excess moisture, so mix them in gently, aiming to distribute them evenly throughout the mixture.
🕒 04:48
Transfer the finished meat mixture to a ziplock bag and press out as much air as possible. Key Tip: This makes it easier to portion the meat mixture later. If you don't have a ziplock bag, you can leave it in the bowl. Keep the meat mixture chilled in the refrigerator until you're ready to wrap.
🕒 05:10
For steaming in a frying pan, line a heat-resistant plate with parchment paper. For steaming in a bamboo steamer, line the steamer basket with parchment paper. Prepare 2-3 leaves of lettuce by washing them, and loosen 30 shumai wrappers. Key Tip: Lining with lettuce prevents the shumai from sticking together and adds a crisp texture. Loosening the wrappers beforehand makes the process smoother.
🕒 05:44
Wipe down your work surface with a damp cloth, then lay plastic wrap over it to create a wrapping area. Key Tip: The plastic wrap adheres well, allowing you to wrap many at once and work efficiently.
🕒 06:36
Remove the meat mixture from the refrigerator. Snip off just the tip of the ziplock bag. Key Tip: Cutting too much will cause too much filling to come out at once, so it's best to start with a small opening.
🕒 07:03
Squeeze the meat mixture from the ziplock bag like a piping bag, portioning it onto the shumai wrappers with some space in between. Key Tip: Squeezing directly from above to create height makes it easier to form the shape. Divide the mixture into approximately 30 portions.
🕒 07:16
Place another shumai wrapper on top of the meat mixture that's already on a wrapper. Key Tip: Using the pre-loosened wrappers makes it easier to spread them even if your hands are a bit messy.
🕒 08:23
Gently rotate the sides of the meat mixture covered with the wrapper, forming the shumai shape. Lightly press the bottom to create a flat base.
🕒 08:49
Arrange the formed shumai on a plate. Place small pieces of torn lettuce alongside them. Key Tip: Placing the lettuce first will allow you to work more smoothly.
🕒 09:01
In a deep frying pan, add 1L of water. Place a cloth and a heat-resistant dish inside. Pour in enough water to act as a weight, preventing the dish from shifting. Key Tip: Use the cloth to prevent scratches on the frying pan.
🕒 10:02
Heat the frying pan over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low heat and place the plate with the shumai on top.
🕒 10:18
Cover with a lid, ensuring it doesn't touch the pot, and steam for 12 minutes. The steaming time is the same if using a bamboo steamer. Key Tip: Steaming with a bamboo steamer results in plump, moist, and juicy shumai, so it's recommended if you have one.
🕒 10:30
Plate the steamed shumai and serve with mustard on the side, if desired. Completion.
🕒 12:24
For freezing, line a tray with a damp paper towel and plastic wrap. Arrange the shumai with space between them so they don't stick, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze.
🕒 11:49
To thaw, place a damp paper towel and parchment paper on a plate. Arrange the frozen shumai on top. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for about 5 minutes. If any parts are still cold, microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Key Tip: Letting the shumai rest for the same amount of time you microwaved them allows the wrappers to stay tender and taste freshly made.
🕒 12:00