Filipino Siomai

Cook Time 30 minutes plus resting

Servings makes 30-35 dumplings

Ingredients

½ cup finely chopped carrot

35 large wonton wrappers

Filling

3 dried shiitake mushrooms

300g fatty pork mince

300g raw prawn meat, coarsely chopped

½ carrot, grated

3 spring onions finely chopped

Black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Pinch of ground white pepper

Fried Garlic and Soy Sauce

60ml vegetable oil

4 medium cloves of garlic, minced finely

125ml soy sauce

1 long red chilli, finely sliced

5ml sesame oil

Method

To make the filling, soak dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water until softened. Squeeze the excess water from the mushrooms, remove stems and finely chop. Place mushrooms in a large mixing bowl with the remaining filling ingredients and mix vigorously in one direction until the mixture binds. Cover and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

To form a sui mai, make a circle with your thumb and index finger. Working with one wonton wrapper at a time, place one heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre and nudge it down through the circle you’ve created with your hand. Gently squeeze into shape and pat down filling with the back of a spoon. Gently tap dumpling on the work surface so it can stand upright and top with a small pinch of carrot over the centre. Repeat the process to form remaining dumplings.

Line a bamboo steamer with baking paper and place into a wok. Pour enough water into the wok until the water line is 2.5cm (1 inch) below the bottom of the steamer. Once water is boiling, steam sui mai in batches for 8 - 10 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately.

To make the fried garlic and soy, heat vegetable oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add in minced garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir if required to avoid edges from browning too much. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Mix in remaining ingredients.