Have you ever craved for some authentic and delicious Siomai, but going to a dim sum restaurant or Filipino food market is just not feasible at the moment?
You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make your own Siomai right at home! Explore our blog for more easy recipes!
Siomai is a Filipino-Chinese dish that is typically eaten as a snack or an appetizer. They are made of dumpling wrappers filled with a savory mixture of ground pork, shrimp, and vegetables, then steamed to perfection.
Whenever we make siomai, the aroma fills our kitchen and our taste buds just can’t wait to dig in!
And while many dumplings require practice and skill to get the right pleating, siomai is one of the easiest dumplings to make for beginners.
We encourage you to make a big batch of these to share with friends and family, or to freeze for later snacking. They disappear so quickly that you’ll be glad you made extra!
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Siomai is a type of dumpling that involves filling a very thin wrapper with a mixture of ground pork, shrimp, and vegetables.
In the Philippines, it is a popular street food that can be found all over the country. The Philippines has deep Chinese influences, so it’s no surprise that Siomai has become a staple in Filipino cuisine.
Here in the US, you can find siomai at most Filipino restaurants, markets, and bakeries.
It is usually eaten in the mornings or as merienda (a light afternoon snack or meal) and is served with various sauces.
Other Filipino Street Foods Besides Siomai
While Siomai may be one of the most popular street foods in the Philippines, there are many more delicious options to explore. You can eat them all together or try them one by one!
Here are a few other Filipino street foods to add to your list:
Upon researching this dish, we learned that siomai can be derived from an earlier dish in China, and could possibly be rooted in Mongolian cuisine around the 1300s.
Over time, Chinese immigrants and traders brought the recipe to the Philippines, where it became a Filipino-Chinese fusion dish.
Today, Chinese shumai has branched out into different variations in countries such as the Philippines (siomai), Japan (shūmai), Indonesia (siomay), and Vietnam (xíu mái). Not to mention, there are also regional variations within each country.
So next time you enjoy a steaming hot siomai, take a moment to appreciate its rich and diverse history!
What to Eat with Siomai
Siomai can be enjoyed on its own as a snack, but it’s also commonly served with various sauces for dipping.
Some popular dipping sauces include soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, sinamak (spiced vinegar), atchara, and toyomansi.
We also love to add some spice by dropping a bit of Sriracha on each dumpling!
Tips for Making Delicious Siomai
If you’re a beginner, don’t be intimidated by making homemade siomai. Siomai is easy to make and difficult to mess up.
Let us share with you a few tips to ensure that you make the best siomai possible:
Use ground pork with a good fat content to keep the filling moist and flavorful.
Very finely chop the vegetables to ensure that they’re evenly distributed throughout the filling and don’t create big chunks. Chunky pieces could cause the filling to fall apart.
An example of how we keep our ingredients small is by grating the ginger instead of chopping it. We used a simple Japanese mandolin with a grater attachment.
While wrapping siomai, keep the unused wrappers moist by laying a damp cloth over them to prevent them from drying out.
Use the same spoon to measure out the filling each time for consistent sizing. This will help make sure the dumplings will steam evenly.
“Glue” the corners of the wrappers against the sides with your finger dipped in water or beaten egg to seal them shut before steaming. This part is optional, but it will help ensure that your siomai stay together during the steaming process.
How to Customize Your Siomai Filling
While traditional siomai fillings usually consist of ground pork, chopped shrimp, and vegetables such as carrots and onion, you can customize your filling to your liking!
Here are a few ways you can change up the siomai filling:
Swap out pork for chicken or beef for a different flavor.
Add mushrooms or mushroom powder to enhance the umami taste.
Use different vegetables such as cabbage, water chestnuts, or bamboo shoots for added texture and flavor.
Whatever your taste preferences are, there’s a siomai filling that you’ll surely love!
How to Store and Reheat Siomai
Siomai is an excellent dish to make ahead of time and store for later.
To store cooked siomai, let them cool at room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container. Place in the fridge and consume within 3 days. You can reheat them in the microwave (covered with a damp paper towel) or warm them up in a steamer.
If you want to store raw siomai in the fridge, we recommend that you cook them within 24 hours.
To store raw siomai for longer, you can freeze them for up to one month. Line a freezer-safe container with parchment paper and place the dumplings in a single layer. It’s better that they don’t touch each other to prevent them from sticking together, but we’ve gotten away with them closely touching without issues.
To cook from frozen, simply steam them for around 15-20 minutes until they’re cooked through. No need to thaw them first!
Ingredients
Filling Ingredients
1 lb ground pork
¾ lb raw shrimp finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger grated
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup green onion finely chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Xiaoxing wine
1½ tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp white pepper
Siomai
1 package shumai wrappers store-bought
carrots minced, for garnish
Recipe
Make Filling
In a mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients.
Wrap the Siomai
Make an “O” shaped window with your thumb and index finger. Lay the wrapper on top.
Use a spoon to scoop out filling. Place filling on the wrapper, in the center “O” window.
To shape: allow the filling to drop down through your fingers. Gently squeeze the sides with your thumb and index fingers to form a round shape. Flatten the bottom by pressing it against your palm.
Fold the tips of the wrappers outwards and press them against the sides of the dumpling. If desired, glue them down with your finger dipped in water or beaten egg.
Cook Siomai
Line a steamer with parchment paper. Place the dumplings with space between them.
Steam for 10-12 minutes or until the filling is cooked through.
Final Thoughts
This iconic Filipino street food is a beloved favorite for a reason! Make this beginner-friendly dumpling recipe and share with your family and friends for a fun and delicious meal!
We hope you enjoy this recipe! Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!
This iconic Filipino street food is a beloved favorite for a reason! Make this beginner-friendly dumpling recipe and share with your family and friends for a fun and delicious meal!
Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Chinese, Filipino
Keyword dim sum, dumplings, fusion, merienda, shumai
In a mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients.
Wrap the Siomai
Make an "O" shaped window with your thumb and index finger. Lay the wrapper on top.
Use a spoon to scoop out filling. Place filling on the wrapper, in the center "O" window.
To shape: allow the filling to drop down through your fingers. Gently squeeze the sides with your thumb and index fingers to form a round shape. Flatten the bottom by pressing it against your palm.
Fold the tips of the wrappers outwards and press them against the sides of the dumpling. If desired, glue them down with your finger dipped in water or beaten egg.
Cook Siomai
Line a steamer with parchment paper. Place the dumplings with space between them.
Steam for 10-12 minutes or until the filling is cooked through.
Notes
Let us share with you a few tips to ensure that you make the best siomai possible:
Use ground pork with a good fat content to keep the filling moist and flavorful.
Finely chop the vegetables to ensure that they’re evenly distributed throughout the filling and don’t create big chunks. Chunky pieces could cause the filling to fall apart.
An example of how we keep our ingredients small is by grating the ginger instead of chopping it. We used a simple Japanese mandolin with a grater attachment.
While wrapping siomai, keep the unused wrappers moist by laying a damp cloth over them to prevent them from drying out.
Use the same spoon to measure out the filling each time for consistent sizing. This will help make sure the dumplings will steam evenly.
“Glue” the corners of the wrappers against the sides with your finger dipped in water or beaten egg to seal them shut before steaming. This part is optional, but it will help ensure that your siomai stay together during the steaming process.
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Noelle Noriesta, a Filipino-American home cook, is the principal creator of Fork and Spoon. Her recipes have a modern and playful approach inspired by her food experiences growing up in the Bay Area and now in Los Angeles. --Read more about me