Destination
Koh Samui
The story
Thai siu mai is Bangkok Chinatown's take on Cantonese shumai — open-top pork-and-prawn dumplings wrapped in yellow wonton wrappers, steamed in bamboo baskets, and served with a specifically Thai dipping sauce of light soy, black vinegar, sliced fresh chili, garlic and a squeeze of lime. What distinguishes Thai siu mai from Cantonese shumai: the specific inclusion of Thai palm sugar in the filling (making it slightly sweeter); a heavier hand on white pepper and coriander root (Thai aromatics not present in Cantonese versions); and the classical Thai chili-vinegar dip on the side rather than the Cantonese sweet-vinegar. Sold at every Bangkok Chinatown dim sum stall (Yaowarat Road), every Thai-Chinese neighbourhood morning-tea shop and every home for weekend breakfast.
Method
Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with your hands for 2 minutes until sticky and well combined. Rest 15 minutes.
Fry a small teaspoon of the mix for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust with more salt, palm sugar or fish sauce as needed.
Hold a wonton wrapper in your left palm. Place 1 heaped tbsp filling in the middle. Pull the wrapper edges up around the filling into a small pouch, pinching small pleats and letting the filling peek out at the top. Do not seal.
Add a small pinch of grated carrot on top of each siu mai (the classical Thai visual). Top with a small coriander sprig for garnish.
Line steamer baskets with perforated baking paper or cabbage leaves. Arrange siu mai with 1cm spacing. Steam 12 minutes over medium-high heat.
Combine all dip ingredients in a small bowl. Divide between small dishes for each guest.
Bring bamboo baskets directly to the table. Serve immediately with dip and jasmine tea. 4 to 6 pieces per person.
Uncooked siu mai freeze beautifully on a tray, then bag them up. Steam from frozen 15 minutes.
Tips
- Coriander root in the filling. The specifically Thai touch. Any Thai grocer sells fresh coriander roots.
- Palm sugar, not white sugar. Palm sugar has a specific caramel depth.
- Open-top pleating. This is the classical Cantonese-Thai shape. Do not seal closed.
- Fresh, hot from the steamer. Steam and serve immediately.
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