Preparation is straight forward.
Trim the top and bottom.
Peel the skin off the sides.... Now it's ready to slice and dice.
The flavor of a raw piece was sweet. The texture was reminiscent of a crisp apple.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspr0N87a9jNzQIqrSph0HrI437B_mMmegSus0bUkS01mC9eMPLbezXZDF2gXASKN320W3aj_eWzUWamanzeArDerUiWPoCFggmwO9xUXwCxI_FlSrcgZO0zZ-3iH11axgBebmjjhtWrPQ/s800/020209_sumai01.jpg)
With fresh water chestnuts, I decided to make a pork dumpling - shu mai.
A shu mai is pretty much a pork meat ball wrapped with a thin won ton wrapper and steamed.
I've never made shu mai so I wanted to give it a shot.
This recipe is a work in progress.
Shu Mai - Pork Dumpling
1 pound Ground Pork
3 Water Chestnut, minced (about 1/4 C)
1/2 tsp Ginger, Grated
2 Green Onions, chopped
2 T Bamboo Shoots, finely chopped
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1 Dried Mushroom, reconstituted and chopped
1/2 tsp White Pepper
3 T Soy Sauce
2 T Oyster Sauce
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
1T Corn Starch - used to give the ground meat a smooth texture
Combine and thoroughly mix all of the ingredients.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWXHXN3rPTf7g3WQ6E9PONVcc25ypxMjE-gqCg572VYU9yMKxEt0CNcYDtaJMISxcnS8NL8qgJUVHM0Q-JQKXcN7_tdneUD8-jaAP6DXyPGQliiAVbkWjPFEiga9t_T1p3yuoBJr9rr7u2/s800/020209_sumai02.jpg)
I found round wrappers in the market.
Place 1 T of filling into the center.
Fold the edges up and use your fingers to maintain a cylindrical shape. Use the thumb from your opposite hand to tamp the filling down (to remove air bubbles too).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyekrEjUTxLgGnfrWNAj4Iu5xFbgPsVCAOP4AN_DaWO9BmriMvPcydTDXGn1-1ewmsGMc7v3Pyxu0Q-jOYl7tdqOKNrI8CLqyDi_c-oWdQKfaXi9NwheSb9yQLr4HYVpM2VoQsbVd7cBeI/s800/020209_sumai03.jpg)
Shu mai arranged on a steamer which was sprayed with Pam.
I'm not sure which is the best way to steam... open face up or open face down so I tried both.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTRDovYCP1vCyFz2V8l-JKhbp1oACQCbZMZKv2glLlFnUJ4ZLatTMRrg6AbhoDNLfNT7kRdLnBKfDb0eAvj7ai4G5z66gsxBfYYt06DKoYMx62IimrpYQD6RysKZ4j2JOlpRPcwvVP32s/s800/020209_sumai04.jpg)
My improvised steamer using an old pie tin with holes added to form the base.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xSrrQo4jtHMM8gEuVkCvkHc8BSBKRgQqUcRI5qSPP63w_9Wq4rq4dk5GZWYehzfcLdy3k9hbD2IdfHYZZ3u7IM_6K_01WxXvcH_vQaFMYfZpF7qXOpBV1h9xL28vjVH0UZOGNLM8qOrB/s800/020209_sumai05.jpg)
Cover and steam for 10 to 15 minutes.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXis-GM4CWUESVZOWk82hR47XWoUKB_lbyWMUc_yX_T553qCQo9BHQ0X2ivjwUAm45bfzJZTZTLXrvxQbu96pgrKcnNRKPPbZ-PFWpxGml1TehsRN7CfmgjT-gi5JT06U1eQ-EkSWee7sE/s800/020209_sumai06.jpg)
Served with a quick soy sauce vinaigrette... soy sauce, vinegar, sesame seed oil and chili sauce. Rough quantities,
1 T Soy Sauce
2 T Vinegar
1/4 tsp sesame seed oil
chili sauce to taste.
A little chopped green onion
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagrozVdun4dlrJK0v6aBRc1ncaX0gFnoBR8LLW58M4QYUTGv8mweEcpPQ4a6lP2NxDwLLH5w-qGNbqlYZQAXr270BHUIyi_yKG_dCZvrgmIt_RL6e5sCGfmVLown4e8oBkn1qZjXdh47X/s800/020209_sumai07.jpg)
The shu mai was okay... The filling is best made ahead of time so the flavors can meld. Also, could use more ginger, green onion and garlic. I should look up some shu mai recipes for a point of reference.
Finally, the best way to steam is open face down. When the wrapper touched the steamer, the shu mai tended to stick to the steamer.
3 comments:
Hello there
this is a very interesting meal
I love the way your cooked them
I am going to try it and let you know.. I only can get the water chestnuts in cans .thanks for sharing...
Arlette
I really like how you do Asian food waterchestnuts is so good I love the crispness of them. Your dumplings look super to me just like from China Town. Interesting about the burgers and the difference bewteen 15% and 7% mince. Do you think they put in more water into the 7% mince to make it the same cost to them. Lovely photos of the bugers and the GFG is something that is popular here in Australia also.
Arlette: The dumplings are usually a lunch/brunch type item as part of a dim sum meal.
Audax: I doubt the 7% is water enhanced. Usually, the butcher keeps trimmed meat and fat. To increase the fat content, fat is added to the mince. Sounds like George Foreman is an international superstar.
Post a Comment