Chicken Siu Mai
Chicken Siu Mai
Makes 24
10 ounces skinless boneless chicken, trimmed, patted dry, and coarsely ground
1/3 cup finely diced, peeled, and washed water chestnuts
1/3 cup finely diced bamboo shoots
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons White Peppercorn Oil (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
1 large egg white, beaten
24 dumpling wrappers, cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds
Vegetable oil, for steamer basket
Mustard Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)
Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine chicken, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, scallions, cornstarch, white peppercorn oil, oyster sauce, ginger, Shao Hsing, sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and egg white. Stir to mix thoroughly. Transfer to a shallow dish, and refrigerate, uncovered, for 4 hours, or covered, overnight.
Make the dumplings: Lightly oil a bamboo steamer basket, or line the bottom with a round metal steamer insert; set aside. Work with one wrapper at a time, and cover unused wrappers with a damp cloth. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons filling in center of each wrapper. Hold filling in place with the blade of a butter knife. Holding the dumpling in the other hand, gradually turn the knife and dumpling slowly in a clockwise direction so that the dumpling forms a basket shape.
Remove knife, and pat filling with point of knife to smooth. Squeeze the dumpling slightly to adhere dough to filling, this will ensure that the dumpling and filling will remain intact during the steaming process. Tap the dumpling bottom lightly on work surface to flatten. Place into prepared steamer basket. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
Bring 3 inches of water to a boil in a wok. Place steamer basket over water. Cover, and steam until dumplings are cooked through, about 6 minutes. Turn off heat. Remove the steamer from the wok, and transfer to a platter. Serve dumplings directly from steamer with mustard dipping sauce on the side.
White Peppercorn Oil
Makes 1 scant cup
1 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup white peppercorns
In a wok over medium heat, combine oil and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat, and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, and allow oil to cool in wok. Do not strain; pour oil and peppercorns into a glass jar and seal. Will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 months.
Mustard Dipping Sauce
Makes 1/4 cup
1/4 cup dry mustard
Tabasco sauce, to taste
In a small bowl, stir together mustard, 1/4 cup water, and Tabasco.
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