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Chinese Dumplings
Recipe
1 hr 30 min

Shu Mai

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Shu Mai
Author: America's Test Kitchen

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 5, 2026

Mastering this dim sum staple is the true sign of an extremely competent chef.

Time

1 hr 30 min

Yield

Makes 40 dumplings

Why This Recipe Works

For moist and tender meat in our Shu Mai recipe, we used the food processor to grind boneless country-style ribs in two batches: one coarsely ground and one (along with the shrimp) coarsely chopped. Once combined in the steamed dumplings’ filling, the smaller pieces helped hold the larger bits together and added a pleasant textural contrast. We used a mixture of powdered gelatin and cornstarch to keep our shu mai’s filling moist and tender, and we flavored it with cilantro, sesame oil, ginger, and Shaoxing wine. For wrappers, we used round dumplings wrappers. Finally, we garnished each dumpling’s center with mildly crunchy tobiko and served our shu mai right from the steamer basket.


Click here for the Chili Oil recipe used in the video.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
3⁄4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces shrimp (any size), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1⁄4 cup water chestnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon Chinese white rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper
1 (1-pound) package 3 1⁄2-inch round dumpling wrappers
2 tablespoons tobiko (optional)

Instructions

Cook along with these step-by-step instructions

step 1 imagestep 2 imagestep 3 imagestep 4 image
  1. Combine soy sauce and gelatin in small bowl. Set aside to allow gelatin to bloom, about 5 minutes. Microwave 1 cup water and mushrooms in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from bowl with fork and discard liquid. Squeeze mushrooms dry, remove stems, and chop.
  2. Meanwhile, place half of pork in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground into approximate ⅛-inch pieces, about ten 1-second pulses; transfer to large bowl. Add shrimp and remaining pork to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped into approximate ¼-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses. Transfer to bowl with more finely ground pork. Stir in soy sauce mixture, mushrooms, water chestnuts, cornstarch, cilantro, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, vinegar, sugar, ginger, salt, and pepper.
  3. Lightly dust 2 parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets with flour. Working with 6 wrappers at a time, brush edges of each round lightly with water. Place heaping tablespoon of filling into center of each round. Form dumplings, crimping wrapper around sides of filling and leaving top exposed. Transfer to prepared sheet, cover with damp dish towel, and repeat in batches of 6 with remaining wrappers and filling.
    Recipe Tip
    Make Ahead: Shu mai can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen on sheet until sold, then transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw shu mai before cooking; increase steaming time by 5 minutes.
  4. Bring 4 cups water to boil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok. Poke about 20 small holes in two 9-inch parchment rounds and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Place rounds in two 10-inch bamboo steamer baskets. Arrange 10 dumplings evenly in each prepared basket, leaving at least ½-inch space between each dumpling; stack baskets and cover. Reduce heat to maintain vigorous simmer and set steamer in wok. Steam until filling is no longer pink and dumpling wrappers and translucent, glossy sheen, 8 to 10 minutes. Top dumplings with tobiko, if using. Serve immediately.
    Recipe Tip
    Before cooking second batch of dumplings, replenish water in wok and line steam baskets with fresh parchment rounds.

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Shu Mai

Recipe By America's Test Kitchen

Published on January 5, 2026

Time

1 hr 30 min

Yield

Makes 40 dumplings

Shu Mai

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce1⁄2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin3⁄4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed1 pound boneless country-style pork ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces8 ounces shrimp (any size), peeled, deveined, and tails removed1⁄4 cup water chestnuts, chopped2 tablespoons cornstarch2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine1 tablespoon Chinese white rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger1⁄2 teaspoon table salt1⁄4 teaspoon white pepper1 (1-pound) package 3 1⁄2-inch round dumpling wrappers2 tablespoons tobiko (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine soy sauce and gelatin in small bowl. Set aside to allow gelatin to bloom, about 5 minutes. Microwave 1 cup water and mushrooms in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from bowl with fork and discard liquid. Squeeze mushrooms dry, remove stems, and chop.
  2. Meanwhile, place half of pork in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground into approximate ⅛-inch pieces, about ten 1-second pulses; transfer to large bowl. Add shrimp and remaining pork to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped into approximate ¼-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses. Transfer to bowl with more finely ground pork. Stir in soy sauce mixture, mushrooms, water chestnuts, cornstarch, cilantro, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, vinegar, sugar, ginger, salt, and pepper.
  3. Lightly dust 2 parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets with flour. Working with 6 wrappers at a time, brush edges of each round lightly with water. Place heaping tablespoon of filling into center of each round. Form dumplings, crimping wrapper around sides of filling and leaving top exposed. Transfer to prepared sheet, cover with damp dish towel, and repeat in batches of 6 with remaining wrappers and filling.
    Recipe Tip
    Make Ahead: Shu mai can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours or frozen on sheet until sold, then transferred to zipper-lock bag and stored in the freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw shu mai before cooking; increase steaming time by 5 minutes.
  4. Bring 4 cups water to boil in 14-inch flat-bottomed wok. Poke about 20 small holes in two 9-inch parchment rounds and lightly coat with vegetable oil spray. Place rounds in two 10-inch bamboo steamer baskets. Arrange 10 dumplings evenly in each prepared basket, leaving at least ½-inch space between each dumpling; stack baskets and cover. Reduce heat to maintain vigorous simmer and set steamer in wok. Steam until filling is no longer pink and dumpling wrappers and translucent, glossy sheen, 8 to 10 minutes. Top dumplings with tobiko, if using. Serve immediately.
    Recipe Tip
    Before cooking second batch of dumplings, replenish water in wok and line steam baskets with fresh parchment rounds.
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