The weather has been unpredictable these past few days here in Philadelphia, with it being unreasonably warm, to kind of cold, to just raining all day. It also doesn’t help that Daylight Savings Time just ended, so it gets bleak quite fast. In these times, I turn to comfort food that I grew up with. So over the last week I’ve made siopao asado (a Philippine steamed pork bun similar to bao), milk bread with ube filling inside, gyudon (thinly-sliced beef and rice bowl), and there’s even a big pot of tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) simmering in my kitchen right now!
Siomai, which can also be spelled shumai or siumai, is the next food on my list. Originating from China, these steamed dumplings have made their way to various other Asian countries, including the Philippines where it is a staple food. I wanted to share with you all a recipe for pork siomai that I really like, courtesy of Bebs at Foxy Folksy – who is my go-to for Filipino food by the way! – and that brings me back to the days of being a kid and eating so many without a care in the world.
The only special appliance you might need is a cooking steamer, but you can just as easily use a cooling rack or colander on top of a large stock pot to replicate it. Feel free to give it a try if you’re interested!
Pork Siomai Recipe by Foxy Folksy
Ingredients:
- ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms
- 500 grams lean ground pork
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons cooking wine (alternatively, shaoxing wine or mirin)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 250 grams shrimp, chopped
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped finely
- 20-30 sheets round dumpling wrappers – preferably 3 ¼-inch diameter
- 2 tablespoons carrot – finely diced for garnishing
For the dipping sauce:
- soy sauce
- vinegar or lemon
- roasted garlic
- chili paste/oil
Instructions:
Filling
- Place dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl. Pour enough hot water to cover and let it sit for 10 minutes. Drain then chop the mushrooms finely.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, cornstarch, cooking wine, sesame oil, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix with a wooden spoon or with hands vigorously until it becomes pasty.
- Add the mushrooms, shrimp, and the green onions and mix just until well combined.
Forming the Filling
- Form a circle with your forefinger and thumb. Place a wonton wrapper over the circle and place about 1-2 tablespoon of filling over it and push down into the hole while your ring and little finger hold it at the bottom.
- Use a butter knife to smear more filling and fill it all the way to the top of the wrapper.
- Place it on a work surface while still holding the sides with your hand then move your hand in a circular motion to flatten the base.
Steaming the Siomai
- Line a bamboo steamer (or stove steamer) with parchment paper with small holes. Place the siu mai inside and top the center of each with diced carrots. Cover steamer with lid.
- Fill a wok or pot big enough to hold steamer with 2-3 inch water, making sure that it does not touch the steamer. Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Place the steamer with siu mai over the simmering water.
- Steam 8 minutes (per layer), or until internal temperature of dumplings is 75°C (or 167°F). Remove steamer from wok.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce!