2005

Cantonese Pork Dumplings

Source: In The Kitchen with Suzanne Martinson - Pittsburg Post-Gazette

Choose the thinnest round, ready-made wrappers you can find for these tender dumplings, known as "siu mai." If you don't have a bamboo steamer, use a large, lidded pot and a stainless steel vegetable steamer.

1/2 cup shredded cabbage or bok choy
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound finely ground lean pork
1/2 cup minced green onion
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons each soy sauce and Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon cornstarch
24 thin siu mai wrappers

Toss cabbage with salt; place in colander to drain 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture. In large bowl, combine cabbage, ground pork and remaining ingredients; blend thoroughly.

Place a wrapper in palm of one hand; place 1 heaping tablespoon of stuffing in center of wrapper. Gently fold up sides of wrapper against the stuffing in 4 or 5 places. Pick up remaining folds of wrapper, pressing them evenly against stuffing to shape dumpling into an open-topped cylinder. Avoid creating large pleats, which can toughen during steaming.

Steam dumplings in bamboo steamer with lattice cover 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Thursday, January 18, 2001