Dad's Perfectly Crafted Homemade Shu Mai

Ingredients

• 300 g Pork (Combination of ground and diced lean and fatty pork)
• 2 g Baking soda (To be mixed with 30g water for the pork)
• 30 g Water (For mixing with baking soda)
• 150 g Shrimp (Diced into cubes; pat very dry)
• 6 g Salt (For the shrimp mixture)
• 24 g Cornstarch (For the shrimp mixture)
• 58 g Water (For the sauce)
• 20 g Sugar (For the sauce)
• 15 g Chicken powder (For the sauce)
• White pepper (A dash)
• Sesame oil (A dash)
• Shu mai wrappers (Yellow wonton or dumpling skins)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the pork by dicing a mix of lean and fatty pork into small cubes, then combine it with the ground pork. In a small bowl, mix 2g baking soda with 30g water and stir this into the pork mixture.

2. 2

   Dice the shrimp into cubes (or leave whole if small). It is very important to pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels to ensure the mixture sticks properly.

3. 3

   In a stand mixer (like a KitchenAid), gently mix the pork mixture until combined, then remove and reserve in a separate bowl.

4. 4

   Add the room temperature shrimp to the same mixer bowl. Fold in 6g salt and 24g cornstarch. Mix until the shrimp turns into a creamy, sticky paste.

5. 5

   Slowly add the reserved pork back into the shrimp mixture in the mixer.

6. 6

   Prepare the sauce by whisking together 58g water, 20g sugar, 15g chicken powder, a dash of white pepper, and a dash of sesame oil.

7. 7

   In four separate sections (add a portion, mix, then repeat), slowly incorporate the sauce into the meat mixture. The final filling should look opaque, pinkish-white, and have a marshmallow-like consistency.

8. 8

   Cover the filling and place it in the refrigerator to set for at least a couple of hours.

9. 9

   Once set, wrap the filling in shu mai skins and steam until cooked through (typically 8-10 minutes over high heat).

Notes

The key to the texture is the specific mixing order and the use of both ground and hand-diced pork. Ensure the shrimp is room temperature before mixing with the salt and cornstarch to achieve the 'magical' creamy consistency. Chilling the filling is essential for flavor development and ease of wrapping.

Nutrition per serving

• dim sum
• dumplings
• pork
• shrimp
• steamed
• Cantonese
• appetizer
• main course