Comments on: Shrimp Shumai

By: Marc Matsumoto

Marc Matsumoto — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 03:04:00 +0000

Hi Tatiemily, sorry I missed that. So in your case because you weren't able to find calamari steaks it's probably a good thing you over-processed it. What I use here in Japan is actually cuttlefish (it's called mongo-ika), but I've never seen cuttlefish in the US and the texture of it is similar to that of calamari steaks, hence the recommendation. It doesn't get tough when you cook it and has a tender texture more like scallops (but without the fibres). I would not recommend adding the tentacles of squid as they are the toughest parts of the squid and will make your shumai chewy (unless you fully puree them). Hope that helps.

By: em

em — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 22:09:00 +0000

Thanks Marc! How about the tentacles? Do you normally use those in making the stuffing? I didn't this time but If I can use them next time I will.

By: Marc Matsumoto

Marc Matsumoto — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 10:28:00 +0000

Hi Tatiemily, sorry for the slow response. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the shumai. Regarding the quantity of filling to wrapper, I should have been more clear, but when I said teaspoon I didn't literally mean a measuring spoon, but a small spoon used for mixing tea (as opposed to a big soup spoon). Each shumai should end up being about the size of a golf ball. As for freezing, I wouldn't recommend it as you'll lose a lot of water when you defrost it. If you want to freeze it you'll want to steam them first. You could also use the filling to make a dumpling soup (just drop spoonfuls of filling into a boiling soup stock and add some vegetables). Lastly, regarding the wrappers falling off, I've never had that happen so I'm not entirely sure what's causing it. One possibility is the type of wrappers you're using, and the other is that the filling wasn't packed into the wrapper enough. There shouldn't bee any air gaps between the wrapper and filling (see photo in step 9). Hope that helps.

By: em

em — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 03:22:00 +0000

FU. Just made, ate, and LOVED these. Every bit as good as those from our local dim sum restaurant. Although Marc warned us not to, I still did over process the squid/shrimp and ended up with a paste. But when I steamed them, they firmed up and again, just as delicious as my favorite dim sum restaurant. However, I was very precise with the quatities of squid and shrimp and every other ingredient that I used and the end result was quite a bit more stfuffing than that needed for 32 shumai. I used 2 rounded tsps. in each shumai per instructions. I only had enough shrimp to make 20 shumai, and I only used about 1/4-1/3 of the stuffing. I'll be having shumai again for dinner tomorrow . . . and maybe the day after . . . and maybe the day after that. Darn that briar patch. I would have preferred to freeze the stuffing for use in a distant future but I just wasn't sure if I could freeze it. Does anyone know? Finally, the only problem I had ws that when I took them out of the steamer, the wrappers on some of the shumai, tended to want to flop open. The stuffing stayed together like a little meatball but the wrapper just wanted to unwrap away from the stuffing. that has never happened at my dim sum restaurant. Any suggestions on how to maintain the wrappers around the stuffing?

By: em

em — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 17:01:00 +0000

Thanks for another great recipe! I could not find giant squid so I bought what I could find 5"-6" body only not including the tentacles. Research tells me to soak in milk to tenderize -to compensate for not having giant squid(?) they soaked overnight and I will be making the squid/shrimp mix this morning and the shumai this evening. Your recipe didn't specify if the tentacles are used or only the body. Would like your thoughts on tenderizing non-giant squid and the [non]use of the tentacles in this recipe.

By: Simon @ SoyRiceFire.com

Simon @ SoyRiceFire.com — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 21:07:00 +0000

Nice recipe! As you mentioned, there are many versions of shumai (or shaomai in mandarin) across China. The version from Shanghai, my hometown, uses ground pork, glutinous rice, and dried shiitake mushrooms. It's definitely one of my favorites.

By: Peggy Garbe

Peggy Garbe — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 15:22:00 +0000

These are absolutely gorgeous! Lovely tutorial, as well =)

By: dixya @ food, pleasure, and health

dixya @ food, pleasure, and health — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 18:46:00 +0000

I am a huge dumplings fan and looking at these shu mai I cant wait to make it. Thanks for such a detail instruction for wrapping them

By: Marilia

Marilia — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 16:00:00 +0000

I love yum cha - it's our almost weekly meeting place for the family. Love the how-to pics, make everything looks so easy!

By: Snippets of Thyme

Snippets of Thyme — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 17:41:00 +0000

These look delicious. My relatives want to go to Dim Sum this week while on holiday break and I was trying to explain to them shumai!