Shu Mai Japanese Steamed Wontons Recipes

SHU MAI (JAPANESE STEAMED WONTONS)

Steps:

• Stir together ground beef, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, sugar sesame oil and cornstarch in a bowl, until the mixture becomes very sticky.
• Divide mixture into 24 parts.
• Holding tips of index finger and thumb together, place a wonton skin on top and top the skin with a portion of the meat.
• Gently press the meat into the"hole" made by your fingers coming together to get the wrapper to come around the sides of meat.
• Gently flatten the bottom of the shu mai.
• Repeat with the remaining wrappers and meat.
• Place a pea in the center of the meat on each shu mai and top the meat with a thin coating of oil.
• Place shu mai in a steamer basket and steam for 12-14 minutes over high heat.
• To prepare dipping sauce, Combine mirin, soy sauce and dashi in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
• Boil mixture for 1-2 minutes then allow to cool.

STEAMED WONTON (SHUMAI)

Steps:

• Mix first 7 ingredients together.
• Place 2 tsp beef mixture on center of wonton skin.
• Hold wonton skin in between index and thumb and squeeze into round, leaving an opening on top. Flatten bottom; repeat until mixture is all used.
• Place a green pea on center of meat mixture.
• Coat steamer rack with thin film of oil.
• Place wontons leaving a small space in between.
• Steam about 12 to 15 minutes over high heat, until meat is cooked.

SHRIMP SHUMAI

Steps:

• To make the soy-mustard sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• To make the filling, cut the shrimp into bite-size pieces, then roughly chop until the shrimp become almost paste-like but with some small pieces visible. You can also use a food processor, which will give it a smooth texture, but I prefer the more coarse texture you get from chopping by hand. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and mix with a spatula until the shrimp become very sticky.
• Add the scallions, water chestnuts, and mushrooms to the shrimp and mix well. Then add the following ingredients, mixing well between each addition: lard, sake, ginger juice, sesame oil, and egg white. Finally, mix in the salt, pepper, and potato starch.
• Meanwhile, place the baby bok choy in a bowl and cover with cold water; let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• To assemble the shumai, lay a wonton skin on the counter (cover the remaining skins with a damp towel to keep them from drying out). Place 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of the wonton skin. (Soak the spoon in water while you're assembling a shumai. This will make it easier to transfer the filling to the wonton.) Hold the wonton skin with the filling with your fingers and gently press the skin to form a small cup. Set the shumai on a cutting board and turn it clockwise while carefully pressing the sides together, creating a tighter cup. Wet a finger with water and use it to gently smooth the top of the shumai. Repeat with the remaining wonton skins and filling.
• To cook the shumai, heat a stove-top steamer over high heat, bringing the water to a boil. Brush the bottom of the steamer basket with a small layer of the vegetable oil and add the shumai, leaving 1 inch of space between each. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, then drain the bok choy and add to the steamer. Cover and cook for 3 minutes longer, or until the shumai are cooked through.
• Remove the bok choy from the steamer and gently squeeze inside a towel to remove excess moisture. Top with a pinch of salt. Place each bok choy in the center of 4 small plates and arrange 6 shumai around it. Garnish the plates with a pinch of black sesame seeds and serve with the soy-mustard sauce on the side.