Shu Mai Chicken And Shrimp Pastries Recipes

SHU MAI: (CHICKEN-AND-SHRIMP PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Cut away and discard any membranes or peripheral fat from the chicken breast. Place the breast on a flat surface and cut it into the thinnest possible slices. Stack the slices and cut them into very thin shreds. Cut the shreds into very fine cubes. Chop the cubes with a cleaver or a heavy sharp knife. Or blend the meat in a food processor, but do not process to a paste.
• Chop the shrimp by hand or in the container of a food processor until it has the same consistency as the chicken.
• Combine the chicken and shrimp in a mixing bowl and add the egg white. Add the cornstarch, salt, sugar and soy sauce and blend. Blend the ginger and wine. Squeeze to extract the liquid. Discard the ginger. Add the liquid to the chicken and shrimp mixture. Beat briskly about five minutes. Add the green onion and coriander and blend well.
• If the won-ton skins are square, cut them into rounds or circles. To do this, stack the won-ton skins and cut them into circles about three inches in diameter. Cut around with a cleaver, a sharp knife or a three-inch biscuit cutter.
• Hold one round won-ton skin in the hand and fill the center with one tablespoon of the filling. Bring up the edges of the won ton skin to enclose the filling all around, but leaving the top of the meat mixture exposed. Smooth over the top. As the shu mai are filled, arrange them open side up on a steamer rack without crowding.
• Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer rack. Place the rack with shu mai over the boiling water and cover tightly. Let steam eight minutes. A sauce is not essential for shu mai, but if desired, vinegar, soy sauce, Sichuan paste and hot mustard may be added.

SHRIMP AND PORK SHU MAI DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• For the filling: In the bowl of a food processor, add the shrimp, ground pork, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, green onions, egg whites, lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pulse the ingredients until smooth, 3 to 5 times. It should be somewhat chunky, not totally pureed. Put the filling into a bowl and fold in the water chestnuts.
• To determine if the filling is seasoned well, make a small patty, about 2 tablespoons. Place a small saute pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Once heated, add the tester patty and cook on both sides until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place onto a paper-towel-lined plate and taste. Adjust seasoning to the remaining filling if needed.
• Prepare the dumplings according to desired assembly. Serve with Sesame-Soy Dipping Sauce.
• Line each tray of your bamboo steamer with cabbage leaves and cover with the lid. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large, wide pan. Set the bamboo steamer over the pot. Continue to add water as needed.
• Place a wonton wrapper on a clean surface and add about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold and pleat as you gather the wrapping around the filling, leaving the top of the filling uncovered. Gently tap the shu mai on your work surface, flattening the bottom and allowing it to stand upright and make a basket shape.
• Put the shu mai in the cabbage-lined steamers and cover with the lid. Steam the dumplings until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place a wonton wrapper on a clean surface and add about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water. Take one edge of the wonton wrapper and fold it to the other side, creating a half moon shape. Then starting at one end of your half moon, make gentle folds, pleating and pressing the top side of the wrapper onto the bottom side as you work around the half moon.
• Have about 1/2 cup water, a large skillet and a lid for the skillet handy. Heat the skillet with 1 to 2 tablespoons of canola oil over high heat. Once the skillet is hot, place the number of dumplings you want to cook smooth-side down in the skillet. Allow them to sear until the bottoms turn golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the water, immediately cover with the lid and let the dumplings steam for another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Line each tray of your bamboo steamer with cabbage leaves and cover with the lid. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large, wide pan. Set the bamboo steamer over the pot. Continue to add water as needed.
• Place a wonton wrapper on a clean surface and add about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water. Take one edge of the wonton wrapper and fold it to the other side, creating a half moon shape. Then take the 2 ends of the half moon and fold them into each other, pressing the ends together to secure the shape, creating the wonton.
• Put the wontons in the cabbage-lined steamers and cover with the lid. Steam the dumplings until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oil, honey and green onions, and set aside until ready to serve.

SHRIMP AND CILANTRO SHU MAI

Steps:

• Combine the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and ginger in a bowl. Put half the shrimp, half the cilantro and all the scallions in a food processor and pulse; add just enough of the soy mixture to create a smooth paste, about 1 to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a bowl. Roughly chop the remaining shrimp and cilantro, add them to the bowl and stir to combine.
• Place a dumpling skin on a work surface, moisten the edges with water, and put 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center. Gather the edges of the wrapper up around the filling, squeezing gently, to pleat the sides; some of the filling should remain exposed. Repeat with the remaining dumpling skins and filling, keeping the dumpling wrappers and dumplings covered with damp towels while you work.
• Rig a steamer in a large pot over an inch of water; bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Meanwhile, add the lime juice to the remaining soy mixture to make a dipping sauce.
• Put as many dumplings in the steamer as you can fit in a single layer and cover the pot. Cook until the exposed filling turns pink and the wrappers are tender, 4 to 6 minutes, then transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining dumplings. Serve with the dipping sauce.

CHICKEN SIU MAI (CHICKEN DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine chicken, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, scallions, cornstarch, white peppercorn oil, oyster sauce, ginger, Shao Hsing, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and egg white. Stir to mix thoroughly. Transfer to a shallow dish, and refrigerate, uncovered, for 4 hours, or covered, overnight.
• Make the dumplings: Lightly oil a bamboo steamer basket, or line the bottom with a round metal steamer insert; set aside. Work with one wrapper at a time, and cover unused wrappers with a damp cloth. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons filling in center of each wrapper. Hold filling in place with the blade of a butter knife. Holding the dumpling in the other hand, gradually turn the knife and dumpling slowly in a clockwise direction so that the dumpling forms a basket shape.
• Remove knife, and pat filling with point of knife to smooth. Squeeze the dumpling slightly to adhere dough to filling, this will ensure that the dumpling and filling will remain intact during the steaming process. Tap the dumpling bottom lightly on work surface to flatten. Place into prepared steamer basket. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
• Bring 3 inches of water to a boil in a wok. Place steamer basket over water. Cover, and steam until dumplings are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove the steamer from the wok, and transfer to a platter. Serve dumplings directly from steamer with mustard dipping sauce on the side.

STEAMED CHICKEN AND COCONUT SHUMAI (DIM SUM)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken with the coconut milk, carrot, chiles, basil, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, garlic, egg, shallot, ginger, salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix thoroughly.
• Hold a wonton wrapper in the palm of your hand; keep the rest covered with plastic wrap. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrapper and pinch the edges all around to form a cup that is open about 1 inch at the top. Keep the shumai covered with plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers and filling.
• Fill a wok or a very large skillet with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Line a double-tiered bamboo steamer with lettuce leaves and arrange the shumai in the steamer without crowding. Cover and steam over moderate heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining shumai. Serve right away, passing the chili sauce at the table.