Shrimp Shao Mai Recipe

Shrimp Shao Mai

from Barbara Grunes and Virgina Van Vynckt's Wok Every Day

Ingredients

1 pound ground lean pork
1 cup peeled, deveined, and chopped raw small shrimp
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
24 round dumpling wrappers, such as gyoza wrappers (see Note)
Chinese hot mustard or honey mustard for serving

Makes 24 Dumplings

This and many other wonderful
recipes may be found
in Barbara Grunes and Virgina Van Vynckt's
Wok Every Day
from Chronicle Books

You will find these delicate, open-faced pleated dumplings on dim sum carts in southern China and in Chinese restaurants around the world. For an attractive presentation, sprinkle the steamed dumplings with minced parsley or chopped hard-cooked egg and black sesame seeds. Or, before steaming, place a small shrimp on top of each dumpling, curving it around a green pea.

In a mixing bowl, combine the pork, shrimp, soy sauce, wine, salt, and pepper.

To fill the dumplings, place a damp paper or kitchen towel over the wrappers to keep them from drying out. Place a wrapper on the wok surface, and put 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons of the filling in the center. Pull the sides up around the filling, pinching the wrapper into pleats and pressing it against the filling to form an openfaced dumpling. Tap the dumpling lightly to slightly flatten the bottom. Place the filled dumpling on an oiled plate. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, using two plates to hold all the dumplings in a single layer.

Fill a wok one-half to two-thirds full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and fit an oiled steamer rack or bamboo steamer in the wok. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer on the rack; if using a bamboo steamer, set one of the plates with the dumplings in the steamer. Cover and steam for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the wrappers are translucent and the filling is cooked through. You will need to either steam the dumplings in two batches, use two woks, or use a bamboo steamer with two compartments.

Remove the dumplings to a serving dish or serve them hot, right from the steamer, putting a plate underneat to catch drips. Accompany with mustard.

To make ahead of time: Assemble the dumplings and arrange them in a single layer on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Cover the dumplings with a sheet of plastic wrap coated with nonstick cooking spray and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Or, freeze them, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until solid, then place them in plastic freezer bags. Seal and freeze for up to 1 month. Don't thaw them before cooking Allow 2 to 3 minutes' extra steaming time.

Note: Store-bough dumpling wrappers tend to be a bit thicker and more doughy' than homemade ones. But their convenience s worth the trade-off in texture. To enhance their translucence and melt-in-the-mouth tenderness, you can roll the wrappers a bit thinner with a heavy rolling pin.