Dim Sum, Shumai Style

A Steamed-phony of Flavor

Source: Personal

How’s everyone doing?

Feeling a bit cooped up at home, perhaps? Well, I’ve got a recipe to share that’ll keep you busy and satisfied. Today, I’m dishing out the details of my favorite dim sum recipe—a treat I whip up for my siblings at home.

Trust me, the process is a breeze, but if you want your dim sum to taste and feel just right, there are a few essential techniques you’ll want to master. Believe me, I’ve had my share of missteps before cracking the code and achieving that restaurant-quality dim sum taste and texture.

Now, let me tell you, I’ve tried a handful of Indonesian YouTubers’ dim sum recipes. But while they were great, they didn’t quite hit the mark when it came to taste, texture, and the thickness of the dim sum skin. I was nearly ready to throw in the towel, but then I decided to find creators who understood Chinese cooking techniques. These videos served as my guiding stars:

• Chinese Cooking Demystified
• Papa Fung’s Kitchen
• Adam Liaw
• Cooking with Dog

After devouring these international resources, I decided to revamp my recipe and modify a few ingredients. As a non-pork eater, I swapped out the pork for chicken.

Pork can be fatty, so I used chicken thigh fillet as an alternative. Don’t you dare discard the chicken skin, though—that fat content adds an irresistible richness to the dim sum. And sure, I skipped shrimp this time around because of an allergy, but feel free to toss them!

Here’s your shopping list:

• 500 g chicken thigh fillet, coarsely chopped for that perfect texture
• 100 g peeled shrimp, medium-sized, marinated for 10 minutes (optional)
• 1 egg
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 button mushrooms (shiitake or wood ear) coarsely chopped
• 2 green onions, sliced, medium-sized
• 5 tsp. all-purpose flour, level measurement (not heaping)
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 small carrot, for garnish, grated
• sugar, salt, and pepper to taste
• Gyoza, Wonton, and Dim Sum Wrappers

Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and get cookin'.

1. Heat water in a pot and add a pinch of salt. We want it to be slightly salty.
2. Clean all your ingredients and prepare a large mixing bowl. Toss in the coarsely chopped chicken and chicken skin. Add the coarsely chopped shrimp if using.
3. Give it a good mix until well combined.
4. Add the minced garlic, sliced green onions, and chopped mushrooms.
5. Crack in one egg and add the all-purpose flour. Mix thoroughly.
6. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, and pepper. Stir until everything is incorporated.
7. Grease your steamer baskets with oil. Place a dim sum wrapper in each basket.
8. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the center of each wrapper. Make sure there’s enough space between them.
9. Garnish with grated carrot on top of each dim sum.
10. Steam until fully cooked and ready to serve.

Pro Tips:

Marinate the shrimp with 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Let sit for 10–15 minutes, then rinse with running water. This step removes the sliminess, giving the shrimp a firmer and more elastic texture after steaming.

Don’t blend the mixture; you don’t want it to end up like chicken shumai. I suggest using a chopper or manual chopping to maintain the texture. Since chicken cooks and shreds easily, coarsely chopping is advised for better texture.

Since raw chicken skin can be a challenge to chop, quickly sauté it in a non-stick pan before chopping.

I add 1 egg per 500 g of chicken and 1 tsp flour per 100 g of chicken to achieve a chewy, light, and cohesive texture in the dim sum.

If your dim sum tends to stick, line the steamer with vegetables like round-cut carrots, wide bok choy, or cabbage leaves. Not only is this healthy, but it also imparts a wonderful flavor to your dim sum.

You can make dim sum without mushrooms, but they’re what add that umami kick and enhance the overall flavor. Avoid canned mushrooms; fresh ones are a better choice.

If you’re using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them overnight before chopping. Remove the stems as they’re tough in texture.

For me, wood ear mushrooms don’t add much flavor, but their crunchy texture pairs wonderfully with dim sum.

So there you have it—my hard-earned lessons after many dim-sum trials and errors. Those pro tips are golden nuggets, so don’t skip them. Different techniques yield different results—even if you’re following the same recipe.

Hey, after you’ve tried my recipe, drop a comment below. I’ll see you around in the next chapter!