Cookbook Table of Contents

Shu Mai

Ingredients

Ingredients
8 dried shiitake mushroom
8 oz fresh sea scallops
10 oz ground pork (about 1 ⅓ cup
1 t cornstarch
1 t sesame oil
1 t salt
½ t sugar
½ t ground white pepper
24 round wonton wrappers
¼ C minced carrots
4 large Napa cabbage leaves or cheesecloth

Preparation

  1. In a small bowl soak the4 mushrooms in 1/2 cup cold water 30 mintes or until softened. Drain and squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid. Cut off and discard the stems and mince the caps. Divide the scallops in half, putting the thickest on a plate; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Mince the remaining thinner scallops. In a medium bowl combine the pork, mushrooms, minced scallops, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, sugar, pepper, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the reserved mushroom liquid.

  2. Put the wonton wrappers on a work surface and lightly cover with a damp towel. Touch the tip of your left index finger wo the tip of your thumb to form a small empty circle, or hole. Put one wrapper over the hole and put 1 tablespoon filling in the center of the wrapper. Let the filled wrapper drop halfway through the hole, and gently squeeze it closed with your fingers. Put on a work surface and carefully pleat the excess wrapper, pressing down the filling. Put the dumpling upright on a plate. Continue filling the rest of the wrappers. Cut the reserved scallops horizontally into 24 thin rounds. Put a slice of scallop on each dumpling. Put a pinch of carrot inthe center.

  3. Line a 12" bamboo steamer with the cabbage leaves, or cheesecloth. Place half the dumplings on teh leaves, 1/2" apart. Cover the steamer with its lid. Add water to a 14" flat-bottomed wok to a depth of 3/4" and bring to a boil over high heat. Carefully put the steamer in teh wok, and steam on high heat to time and replenish, if necessary, with boiling water. Carefully steaming the remaining dumplings, replenishing the wok with more boiling water.

Notes: