Siomai

Dumpling with Ground Pork and Shrimp

Siomai is Chinese dumpling, served on bamboo steamers at dim sums, alongside siopao (steamed bun), congee (arroz caldo) and chicken and duck feet.

Though for most Filipinos I know, they enjoy Siomai at Foodcourts at the mall or as snacks with a Soy Sauce/Calamansi or Lemon Juice (Toyomansi) dipping sauce. And still, others cook them onto a soup to make Pancit Molo.

You can basically use your imagination as to the filling you want to put in your Dumpling. If you are in for a healthy alternative, use vegetables with Tofu.

Potstickers, or how dumplings are popularly called around here are oval shaped, crimped and pleated on the top edges. They are first fried with very little oil to make them stick to the pan. Little water is added, then topped with lid. Once all the water evaporated, the dumplings are cooked. Only one side of the dumpling is golden brown.

• Dumpling or Wonton Wrappers
• Ground Pork
• Shrimp
• Ground Chicken(Optional)
• Green Onions
• Carrots
• Eggs

IN THE PANTRY:

• Onion
• Soy Sauce
• Salt
• Pepper
• Breadcrumbs

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pack Dumpling or Wonton Wrappers
• 1 Egg, to seal the wrapper
• 1 pound Ground Pork
• 1/2 pound Shrimp, shelled, deveined and chopped
• 1/2 pound Ground Chicken(Optional)
• 1 bunch Green Onions, chopped
• 1 medium Carrots, chopped
• 1 Egg, beaten
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Pepper
• 1 cup Breadcrumbs

PREPARATION TIME : 20 minutes

COOKING TIME : 30 minutes

1 Mix together all the ingredients, except the first two.

2 Scoop a tablespoon on each wrapper and form according to your preference.

3 Seal by brushing egg on the outer side of the wrapper.

4 Arrange onto a steamer and steam for 30 minutes.

5 Serve as is or cook further by deep frying.

6 Serve with Soy Sauce and Calamansi Juice dipping sauce.

COOK'S TIPS

• If you can't find a Dumpling wrapper and want to make Siomai from scratch, here is the Wrapper procedure below:
  • Using a Food Processor (or you can do it manually, too) put in 2 cups all-purpose flour with a pinch of salt, and pulse 3 times.

  • Add a beaten egg and continue pulsing.

  • Add water, a tablespoon at a time until the dough becomes one big mass and collecting on one side of the processor.

  • Transfer on a floured board and knead until smooth, then form into small balls. Make sure to cover them with damp cloth so they don't dry out.

  • Flatten each ball and they're ready to be filled with your favorite filling.

• The egg and breadcrumbs act as binders so the meat filling will not fall apart once cooked.
• Hide the vegetables you want your kids to eat in the filling. Use the green onion stalks instead of the leaves so they will not see green and think they are eating vegetables.

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