Skinnymixer’s Pork & Prawn Siu Mai Dumplings features in the Snacks & Share section of the SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook.
If Siu Mai is one of the first things you order at yum cha, you’re going to want to try making them at home.
Our Pork & Prawn Siu Mai Dumplings (Shumai) combine juicy pork mince and prawns with shiitake mushroom, ginger, garlic and spring onion, along with classic Chinese flavours including soy, oyster sauce, sesame oil and Chinese cooking wine.
They’re wrapped in wonton wrappers but, unlike many dumplings, there’s no complicated pleating or sealing required.
Simply fill, gently squeeze into shape and steam.
Methods: Thermo cooker + Conventional
Cooking method: Steamed
Dietary options: Seafood Free, Gluten Free, Low Carb, Super Skinny, Paleo, Vegetarian + Low FODMAP
What are Siu Mai?
Siu Mai are open-topped steamed dumplings commonly served as part of yum cha or dim sum.
Rather than completely enclosing the filling like many other dumplings, the wrapper is gathered around the sides while the filling remains visible at the top.
Our filling combines pork and prawn, along with shiitake mushroom, ginger, garlic and spring onion.
They’re steamed until the filling is cooked and juicy, then served straight from the steamer with dipping sauce.
What You’ll Need
The complete quantities are in SkinnyAsia 2, but for the dumplings you’ll need:
- Pork mince or chicken mince
- Raw prawn meat – or use chicken mince/additional pork mince
- Dried shiitake mushrooms – find these in the Asian section at the supermarket.
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Spring onion
- Soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
- Oyster sauce – gluten-free if required or you can make your own Vegetarian Oyster Sauce.
- Chinese cooking wine (or Dry Sherry for gluten-free)
- Cornflour
- Sesame oil
- Wonton wrappers – if you need gluten-free we have a fantastic GF Dumpling Wrapper recipe.
Our Siu Mai Dipping Sauce
The dipping sauce takes about a minute to put together and combines:
- Soy sauce
- Chinese black vinegar or rice wine vinegar – Chinese Black vinegar isn’t gluten-free.
- Sesame oil
- A little brown or coconut sugar
And if you like some heat, add a spoonful of Ultimate Chilli Crisp.
The salty, tangy dipping sauce is perfect with the rich pork and prawn filling.
Can’t Find Chinese Black Vinegar?
Chinese black vinegar has a distinctive deep, slightly malty flavour that works beautifully with dumplings. You can purchase it in the Asian section of the supermarket typically.
If you don’t have it, the recipe includes rice wine vinegar as an easy alternative.
How to Shape Siu Mai
Never made dumplings before? Siu Mai are a great place to start.
There’s no need to master intricate dumpling pleats.
1. Position the Wrapper
Loosely curl your thumb and index finger together to create a circle and place a wonton wrapper over the top.
2. Add the Filling
Spoon approximately 1 heaped teaspoon of filling into the centre.
Don’t overfill the wrapper. You want enough filling to create a plump dumpling while still being able to bring the wrapper up around the sides.
3. Shape the Dumpling
Gently squeeze your thumb and index finger around the sides of the dumpling so the wrapper gathers around the filling.
Leave the top exposed.
Unlike many dumplings, Siu Mai aren’t sealed across the top.
4. Flatten the Bottom
Place the dumpling onto the bench and gently flatten its base.
You want it to stand upright on its own so it sits neatly in the steamer.
Continue until you’ve used all the filling.
Square or Round Wonton Wrappers?
Either will work.
If you’re using round wrappers, they’re ready to fill.
If you’re using square wonton wrappers and prefer a more traditional rounded appearance, you can trim the corners before filling. It’s not essential though, so don’t make extra work for yourself if you don’t mind the appearance.
How to Steam Siu Mai
Lightly grease your steaming trays before adding the dumplings. This helps prevent the wrappers from sticking and tearing when you remove them.
Arrange the Siu Mai upright with a little space between each dumpling.
Don’t pack them tightly together. Steam needs room to circulate around them.
Steam for approximately 9–12 minutes, or until the filling is completely cooked through.
How Do I Know When Siu Mai Are Cooked?
The wrapper should be tender and the filling should be cooked through and piping hot.
Because the filling contains raw pork and prawn, don’t rely purely on the appearance of the wrapper to determine whether they’re ready.
If you’re unsure, check the centre of one of the larger dumplings before serving.
Gluten-Free Siu Mai
We’ve included a Gluten-Free Dumpling Wrapper recipe on the Skinnymixers website for anyone wanting to make traditional-style wrapped Siu Mai without gluten.
Alternatively, skip the wrappers completely.
Shape the filling into steamed meatballs instead and follow the Gluten Free variation in SkinnyAsia 2.
Dietary & Recipe Variations
SEAFOOD FREE
Replace the prawns with additional mince and use Vegetarian Oyster Sauce.
GLUTEN FREE
Use our Gluten-Free Dumpling Wrappers or skip the wrappers and make steamed meatballs.
LOW CARB
Skip the wrappers and make meatballs, with almond flour used instead of cornflour.
SUPER SKINNY
Skip the wrappers and make steamed meatballs.
PALEO
Use the substitutions provided in the book for oyster sauce, cornflour and Chinese cooking wine.
VEGETARIAN
We’ve included a filling made with firm tofu, carrot and oyster mushrooms, along with Vegetarian Oyster Sauce.
LOW FODMAP
Skip the wrappers and make meatballs, with garlic-infused olive oil and the sauce substitutions provided in the book.
HALVED / DOUBLED
The recipe can be halved while keeping the steaming water the same. For a double batch, process and steam the dumplings in batches.
Make a SkinnyAsia 2 Dumpling Feast
These Siu Mai don’t have to be served on their own.
Add them to a bigger Asian feast with some of the other Snacks & Share recipes from SkinnyAsia 2, or serve a big steaming basket of them with the dipping sauce in the middle of the table.
They’re also a great one for entertaining because everyone can grab a dumpling and dip as they go.
Get the Recipe
The complete Pork & Prawn Siu Mai Dumplings recipe, including Thermo cooker and conventional methods, dipping sauce, shaping instructions and dietary variations, is available in SkinnyAsia 2.
From the Testing Team
- Kate G. – Hubby and the mini skinnies made these last night. Hubby omitted the ginger, because he doesn’t like it, and they were still delicious! But would have been better with the ginger.
- Amanda E. – Soooooo good!!! Mine didn’t look amazing after cooking, but love that they don’t need to
The kids demolished them!! The sauce 
- Angie G. – Made these tonight, they tasted delicious. Used 500g pork mince as hubby has allergies to prawns. Perfectly cooked within recipe times. The sauce tasted good.
- Sarah M.– YUMMMMMM. These were so good! Making slightly smaller I’d have easily gotten 30 out of these
Some other Yum Cha Thermomix recipes you might love:
Want to know more about SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook?
SkinnyAsia 2 is a collection of Thermomix & Conventional cooking recipes. All of our cookbooks have a strong focus on Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg Free, Low Carb, Paleo, Vegetarian and Low FODMAP.
Ingredients
- 250 g pork mince
- 250 g raw prawn meat
- brown sugar
- Chinese black vinegar
- Chinese cooking wine
- cornflour
- dried shiitake mushrooms
- light soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- sesame oil
- round or square wonton wrappers
- fresh ginger
- garlic
- spring onion
- ground white pepper
- Ultimate Chilli Crisp
Instructions
- This recipe is exclusive to the SkinnyAsia 2 cookbook.
FAQs
Can I make Siu Mai ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare and shape the dumplings ahead and keep them covered in the fridge until you’re ready to steam them. Make sure they’re kept properly chilled because the filling contains raw pork and prawns.
Do I need a special dumpling wrapper for Siu Mai?
No. You can use round or square wonton wrappers. The important thing is that they’re thin enough to steam tender and flexible enough to gather around the filling. For a gluten-free option, use the Skinnymixers Gluten-Free Dumpling Wrapper recipe linked from this page.