Siu Mai Dumplings With Pork and Shrimp

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/14/22
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Siu mai dumplings with pork and shrimp

The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Soak: 30 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Yield: 20 dumplings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
96 Calories
3g Fat
10g Carbs
8g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 96
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 45mg 15%
Sodium 268mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 98mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Siu mai is a very popular Chinese dumpling dish served open-faced as part of a dim sum brunch. These are some of the easiest Chinese dumplings to make since you do not have to enclose them, and they are some of the prettiest since you can see the ingredients inside. Filled with Chinese black mushrooms, pink shrimp, and green onion, the color and texture combination is complemented by the ground pork and flavorful seasonings, making a beautiful dumpling that will impress your guests and please your family.

These are wonderful eaten all by themselves with dumpling sauce for dipping, but great accompaniments for a meal would be fried or steamed rice and a veggie stir-fry.

"The siu mai dumplings were simply delicious, and the recipe came together quickly. I had to use square wonton wrappers, but they worked perfectly, and it was easy to cut them into rounds. The recipe made exactly 20 for me, and they were fantastic dipped in dumpling sauce." —Diana Rattray

Siu mai dumplings with dumpling dip
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 3 dried Chinese black mushrooms, or shiitake mushrooms

  • 6 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1 medium green onion

  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger

  • 3/4 cup (6 ounces) ground pork

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

  • 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine, or dry sherry

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

  • 20 gyoza wrappers, or wonton wrappers cut into circles

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for siu mai dumplings recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  2. Soften the mushrooms by soaking in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water. Cut off the stems.

    Soften mushrooms in a bowl of water

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  3. Soak the shrimp in warm, lightly salted water for 5 minutes and pat dry.

    Soak shrimp in a bowl of water

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  4. Mince the mushrooms, shrimp, and green onion. Combine with the ginger and pork.

    Mince the mushrooms, shrimp, and green onion and combine with the ginger and pork

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  5. Stir in the oyster sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and sugar. Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly.

    Stir the oyster sauce into the shrimp mixture

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  6. Lay a gyoza wrapper in front of you. Wet the edges using your finger or a pastry brush and a little water.

    Lay a goyza wrapper down and brush with water

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  7. Put 2 to 3 teaspoons of filling in the middle, taking care not to get too close to the edges.

    Put filling in middle of the dumpling wrapper

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  8. Gather up the edges of the wrapper, lightly pressing against the filling to adhere, and gently pleat so that it forms a basket shape, keeping the top open and the filling exposed.

    Lightly press dumpling wrapper around the filling

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  9. Line a steamer basket with parchment paper or cabbage leaves.

    Steamer basket lined with parchment paper

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  10. Steam over boiling water until the filling is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.

    Steam the dumplings over boiling water

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

  11. Serve with soy sauce and enjoy.

    Siu mai dumplings with pork and shrimp on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

Recipe Variations

  • Hunan Juhua: Instead of ground pork, use pork hash and add glutinous rice into the filling.
  • Uyghur: Skip the pork, shrimp, and mushrooms in favor of mutton or beef, green onions, and radishes.
  • Japanese: Use just shrimp as the main protein in the filling, skipping the pork entirely.

Tips

  • Make sure the individual dumplings don't fall apart when steaming. Take care to lift up the sides of the wrappers and gently press them to the filling so the wrapper won't fall open when cooking. It is also important to line the steamer basket with either cabbage leaves or parchment paper so that the dumplings don't stick to the bottom. 
  • Make sure there is space around the cabbage leaves for steam to get through to the dumplings. If using parchment paper, poke holes in it to allow for uniform steaming.
  • Steam the dumplings the traditional way with a bamboo steamer and a wok. Bamboo steamers are readily available at Asian markets and kitchen supply stores and come in single and multiple tiers (for cooking different types of foods at once). A wok is a perfect vessel to hold the simmering water while keeping the bamboo steamer suspended due to its shape.
  • If you don't have a wok, you need a pot that will allow the steamer to sit level and secure, and above the water line.

How to Store and Freeze

  • Cooked siu mai dumplings can be stored in covered containers in the fridge for up to three days.
  • These dumplings can be frozen. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or pan, making sure they're not touching each other, and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag, and return to the freezer, where they will keep for one to two months. 

Can uncooked siu mai be frozen and cooked later?

Absolutely! Once you have all of your dumplings assembled, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Freeze the uncooked siu mai until solid. Once the dumplings are frozen, transfer them to freezer containers and freeze them for up to three months. To steam the frozen siu mai, place them in the parchment-lined steaming basket and cook as directed, adding about five minutes to the time.

Can I use a food processor to mince ingredients?

You may use a food processor to chop the ingredients, but the texture of the filling will be better if minced by hand.

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