Gan Zheng Shao Mai (Cantonese Pork and Shrimp Shumai)
Shrimp pop from the yellow skin! Absolute Ace of Hong Kong Drinking Tea "Sioumai"
Description
Alongside 'Har Gow' (Shrimp Dumplings), this is the absolute undisputed King of Dim Sum (One of the Four Heavenly Kings) in Guangdong/HK Yum Cha. Unlike soft, white Japanese Shumai, a 'yellow thin wrapper' infused with egg encloses a violently bouncy filling of coarsely ground pork, massive shrimp, and shiitake. Topped with 'orange crab roe (or Tobiko)' and steamed. The peak of bouncy texture.
Restaurants serving Gan Zheng Shao Mai (Cantonese Pork and Shrimp Shumai)
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On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Coarsely minced pork
- Peeled shrimp
- Dried shiitake
- Yellow Shumai wrappers(with egg)
- Tobiko(or Crab roe)
- Sesame oil
- White pepper
- Potato starch
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Differences]
- (Ultimate Filling Texture - This is Life) NEVER grind it into a paste like JP Shumai. Hand-chop fatty pork into 'coarse 5mm cubes' with a cleaver.
- Smash peeled shrimp with the flat of the blade, then chop coarsely (leave chunks). Mince rehydrated shiitake.
- Place pork and shrimp in a bowl. Add salt, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil, and potato starch.
- [Pro Skill - Qi Jiao]: Whip and slam the meat violently against the bowl in one direction until it becomes extremely sticky (Jiao). This creates the explosive 'bouncy (Q-bounce)' texture.
- (Wrapper & Shaping) Use 'yellow Shumai wrappers' infused with egg and lye. Make an 'OK' sign with your left thumb and index finger, place the wrapper over the hole, and shove the filling down with a spoon, shaping it into a cylinder (leave the top open to expose the meat).
- Garnish the top with orange 'Crab Roe (or Tobiko / minced carrots)'.
- Steam on high in a bamboo basket for 8-
- mins.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Intense sweetness of shrimp and pork fat、Dried shiitake broth
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Wrap shrimp and coarse pork in regular JP Shumai wrappers)
Pairing
Pu'er Tea / Har Gow(Shrimp dumplings as a set)
Trivia
[Trivia] 'Gan Zheng' refers to the unique Cantonese Dim Sum technique of steaming purely with vapor, without adding broth to the filling. While Japanese Shumai (rooted in Yokohama Kiyoken) is made fluffy, sticky, and sweet using scallops and onions, HK Siu Mai fights completely in the opposite direction with the 'violent elasticity of meat and shrimp'.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Served piping hot, 3-4 pieces in a tiny bamboo steamer. DO NOT dip in soy sauce or mustard; eat it plain in one bite. The instant it enters your mouth, the 'SNAPPING' violent elasticity of the coarse pork and the 'BOUNCY' texture of the shrimp detonate simultaneously, spreading sweet meat juices.
Allergen
Wheat, Pork, Shrimp, Eggs, Soybeans, Wheat (Soy sauce)