Chicken Shu Mai – This easy Chinese steamed chicken siu mai dim sum is made with juicy and flavorful prawn chicken fillings and crunchy water chestnuts perfect for your quick family appetizer.
What Are Chicken Shu Mai?
Shu Mai are delicious crafted chicken dumplings, traditionally made with minced chicken, shrimp (though some prefer pure poultry), water chestnuts, scallions, ginger, and a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil. These fillings are then hand-folded into a little wonton wrapper, open from the top, and steamed to perfection.
Tips & Tricks
Get your hands dirty! Mixing the filling with your hands helps distribute the flavors and ingredients evenly.
Wonton wrapper? Don’t worry! Use store-bought wrappers if you’re short on time or practice your folding skills with wonton dough.
Steaming secrets: Line your steamer basket with Napa cabbage leaves to prevent sticking and add a delicate aroma.
Beyond the classics: Experiment with different fillings! Try pork and shrimp, vegetarian with shiitake mushrooms and tofu, or even a daring prawn and scallop combo.
Variations
Har Gow: These translucent beauties are filled with shrimp and steamed to reveal the delicate pink filling.
Xiao Long Bao: Soup dumplings, anyone? These wrappers burst with savory broth and tender pork filling.
Woo Mai: Deep-fried and filled with pork or shrimp, these crispy dumplings offer a textural contrast to their steamed shumai.
Vegetarian Delights: Don’t miss out on veggie-filled options like spinach and tofu or mushroom and cabbage.
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking the dumplings to the bamboo steamer. If you don’t have perforated parchment paper, use non-stick baking paper – cut it into the shape of the basket and make small holes in the middle with the help of fork.
How to serve this chicken shu mai?
Chicken shu mai are the perfect starter for a dim sum feast. Pair them with other dim sum classics like har gow, xiao long bao, and steamed buns. Don’t forget to have a variety of dipping sauces on hand, from chili oil to ginger-vinegar, to cater to different palates.
Chicken Shu Mai – FAQs
Are Shu Mai healthy?
Yes of course! Make them with lean chicken, skip the deep-frying, and go easy on the dipping sauces. You can even add chopped vegetables like carrots or zucchini to boost the veggie content.
How do I eat shu mai?
Pick them up with chopsticks (bonus points for skillful dipping!). Take a small bite, savoring the juicy filling and delicate wrapper. Don’t forget to dip in a flavorful sauce, like soy sauce with chili oil or ginger-infused vinegar.
Where can I find the best shu mai?
Seek out dim sum restaurants with a focus on quality ingredients and traditional preparation. Look for restaurants with open kitchens where you can see the dumplings being made fresh.
Chicken Shu Mai (Steamed Siu Mai)
This easy Chinese steamed chicken shu mai dim sum is made with juicy and flavorful prawn chicken fillings and crunchy water chestnuts perfect for your quick family appetizer.
Ingredients
- 200 gram chicken, minced
- 200 gram prawns, skin peeled off and minced
- 3-4 dried shiitake mushrooms, diced (or fresh shiitake)
- 3-4 spring onions, finely chopped
- 20-25 wonton paper
- 1/4 diced carrot
For the seasonings:
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shao Xing Wine (Or Japanese mirin)
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sugar, optional
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
For the Siu Mai Sauce:
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
- 1 tsp chilli oil, optional
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add minced prawns, shiitake mushrooms, minced chicken, spring onions, and garlic.
- Season with Shao Xing cooking wine, sugar, corn starch, salt, light soy, white pepper, and sesame oil.
- Mix the filling until well combined to a thick sticky paste.
- Place the wonton wrapper on one hand. Add the filling into the middle of the wrapper and gently squeeze in the filling to form a cylinder shape.
- Flat the bottom and top with your hand and fingers. Add carrots on the top and place them into the lined steamer. Do not overcrowd to avoid sticking together.
- Repeat the same process and make the remaining wonton wrappers.
Steaming Siu Mai
- Boil water in a large pot and place the steamer over it. Close the lid and steam the shumai on medium-high heat for about 8-9 minutes.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.
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Nutrition Information
Yield
25Serving Size
6Amount Per Serving Calories 82Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 33mgSodium 386mgCarbohydrates 7gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 6g
All Chicken Recipes.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.