Siu Mai (Pork Dumplings)

Siu mai (shaomai in Mandarin) are open-topped steamed dumplings and one of the two items — alongside har gow — that anchor any yum cha spread. They have been a standard dim sum offering in Cantonese cooking since at least the nineteenth century, and their shape — a pleated cup of thin wheat dough holding a rounded filling that rises above the rim — is instantly recognisable across all Cantonese-diaspora restaurants worldwide.

The wrapper is thin wheat-flour pastry, rolled to about 1mm thick, pleated around the base and sides to form a cup that opens at the top. The pleating is done by pressing the flat circle of dough between the thumb and fingers while rotating it, a technique that takes practice and differentiates artisanal from factory-made.

The filling is a mixture of coarsely chopped or minced pork shoulder — the fat content of pork shoulder gives the filling its texture and flavour — with whole or rough-cut prawns, reconstituted dried shiitake mushroom, and finely diced water chestnut for crunch. The proportions vary by kitchen. High-end Cantonese houses use large, fresh prawns in significant quantities; cheaper versions use smaller shrimp or prawn paste. The top of the filled dumpling is garnished with a small dot of bright orange: either crab roe (the luxury option) or finely minced carrot (the standard option), purely for visual contrast.

Siu mai are steamed in bamboo baskets for about 8 minutes and served immediately, in portions of three or four. The correct way to eat them at a yum cha: lift with chopsticks, dip briefly in soy sauce mixed with a touch of chilli oil or chilli sauce, eat in a single bite if possible.

Regional variants include Mongolian-style siu mai (larger, filled with minced beef and topped with peas, eaten with vinegar), Cantonese-Western hybrid versions in Hong Kong's cha chaan teng culture, and simpler filling variations in Shanghainese cooking.