Shao Mai or Sui Mai are Asian dumplings that are usually filled with meat. Vegetable Shao Mai, sans meat, are equally scrumptious and full of flavour.
Shao Mai is very popular in Mauritius, alongside Niouk Yens and other dumplings, and are mostly enjoyed as appetisers or additions to noodle bowls. “Siomai” is how we usually pronounce them, with the ‘i’ being a little silent and the accent is on the ‘o’.
I often make potstickers or wantans but recently shao mai crossed my mind. I’ve been having a little craving for them and I’ve decided to attempt a vegan version. These vegetable sui mai, sans meat, are equally delicious and bursting with flavour.
For filling, I’ve used konnyaku, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, veggie mince and spring onions (scallions). All are tossed in some light spices, soy sauce and black bean garlic sauce. If you don’t have black bean sauce, you may just use more soy sauce or a little miso paste and some finely chopped garlic.
What is konnyaku?
Konnyaku comes in the form of a gelatinous plain white or seaweed-flavoured greyish brown block that is sold at most Asian grocery store. You are likely to find it in the refrigerator section. It is made from the konnyaku or konjac plant that is typically grown in Japan, Korea and China.
Konnyaku has a very chewy bouncy texture that doesn’t lose any of its shape when cooked. It’s a very popular food in Eastern cuisines but not as much in the west.
Konjac is also used to make noodles known as shirataki noodles. You can find a few brands available on the market and even at regular grocery stores. If you can’t find the block, you can also use the noodles, chopped up into smaller pieces.
I am using konnyaku in this recipe mainly for its texture. If you can find neither the block nor the noodles, you may leave it out or substitute with water chestnuts or jicama, finely chopped.
If you’re curious about konjac, check out this post where I’ve talked more about it and shirataki noodles.
Since the vegetable filling doesn’t have the adherence properties of meat, some tapioca starch does the job and keeps the filling together. Try not to make the filling saucy but rather thick and sticky. This will not only make the stuffing process a lot easier but, more importantly, the dumplings won’t fall out of shape when they are steamed.
Store-bought dumpling or sui mai wrappers are what I am using in this recipe. You may also use eggless wantan or wonton wrappers.
To make Vegetable Shao Mai:
If dumpling wrappers are frozen, allow them to defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour.
I like to boil the dried shiitake mushrooms for about 10 – 15 minutes, or until they are soft, to quickly rehydrate them. Alternatively, you may just leave the shiitake mushrooms to soak in hot water for about 30 minutes.
Once shiitake mushrooms are soft. Drain and reserve the water for later. Let the mushrooms cool before chopping them into small pieces or mincing them.
Slice, then chop the konnyaku into tiny pieces.
Chop the carrot into small pieces or coarsely grate it.
Once all the ingredients are prepared, make the filling:
In a skillet, heat one tablespoon of cooking oil on medium-high temperature.
Add the minced shiitake, konnyaku and carrot, saute for about 6 minutes while stirring every now and then.
Next, add the veggie mince, cumin, Chinese five spice and black bean garlic sauce. Stir to combine and saute for about 5 more minutes.
When the mixture starts to dry up and stick to the pan, add the soy sauce and a little of the reserved shiitake water.
Dilute the tapioca starch in 120 ml of water, then add this slurry to the pan and stir immediately. This will thicken the sauce and keep the filling together. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little water but not too much as we don’t want any sauce. The veggies and mince need to be sticky and adhere together, this will make it easy to fill the wrappers.
Lastly, add the spring onions. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings if needed. The sauces are usually salty enough, so make sure to taste the filling before adding any more salt.
Now we’re ready to make the shao mai:
Take one wrapper, brush the inside with a little water. Join your index finger and thumb and place the skin on top, slightly pushed into a cup.
The video below shows How to Wrap Vegetable Shao Mai.
Spoon one heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre of the wrapper. Gather the wrapper by gently squeezing around the filling and cupping it between your thumb and index finger. Press the filling down with the back of the spoon to tighten the filling with the wrapper, see the video.
Repeat for the rest until all the filling is used up.
Place shao mai on a steaming tray lined with parchment paper and steam for about 12 minutes.
Remove and serve immediately with soy sauce or crunchy chilli oil. They are great additions to noodle or miso soups too.
Shao mai can be frozen for later use.
Freeze the shao mai before steaming, as soon as they are made. Place the uncooked shao mai in a freezer proof container and make sure they are not touching. If the container is deep, separate each layer with parchment paper so that shao mai don’t stick to one another. To cook, just remove a few and steam directly from frozen for about 15 minutes.
Yield: 25 dumplings
Vegetable Shao Mai Recipe
Vegetable Shao Mai, sans meat, are scrumptious and full of flavour.They freeze well and make easy delicious meals or snacks at any time.
Prep Time50 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 10 - 12 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 125 g konnyaku [½ block]
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 170 g veggie minced meat, veggie ground round
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 1 tablespoon black bean & garlic sauce, substitute with more soy sauce or ½ tablespoon miso paste and 1 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced, see notes
- 1 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1½ tablespoons tapioca starch, or 2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
- 120 ml water, [½ cup] more as required for cooking
- 1 - 2 spring onions, chopped
- Salt, to taste
- 25 dumpling wrappers, or shao mai wrappers, see notes
Instructions
- If dumpling skins are frozen, allow them to defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour.
- To quickly rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms, place them in a small saucepan and cover with water. Boil for about 10 - 15 minutes, adding more water as required.
- Alternatively, you may just leave the shiitake mushrooms to soak in hot water for about 30 minutes.
- Once shiitake mushrooms are soft, drain and reserve the water for later. Let the mushrooms cool before chopping them into small pieces or mincing them.
- Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients. Slice, then chop the konnyaku into tiny pieces.
- Chop the carrot into small pieces or coarsely grate it.
Make the filling:
- In a skillet, heat one tablespoon of cooking oil on medium-high temperature.
- Add the minced shiitake, konnyaku and carrot, saute for about 6 minutes while stirring every now and then.
- Next, add the veggie mince, cumin, Chinese five spice, black bean & garlic sauce. Stir to combine and saute for about 5 more minutes.
- When the mixture starts to dry up and stick to the pan, add the soy sauce and a little of the reserved shiitake water.
- Dilute the tapioca starch in 120 ml of water, then add this slurry to the pan and stir immediately. This will thicken the sauce and keep the filling together. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little water but not too much as we don’t want any sauce. The veggies and mince need to be sticky and adhere together, this will make it easy to fill the wrappers.
- Lastly add the spring onions. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings if needed. The sauces are usually salty enough, so make sure to taste the filling before adding any more salt.
Make the shao mai:
- Take one wrapper, brush the inside with a little water. Join your index finger and thumb and place the skin on top, slightly pushed into the cup.
- Spoon one heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre of the wrapper. Gather the wrapper by gently squeezing around the filling and cupping it between your thumb and index finger. Press the filling down with the back of the spoon to tighten filling with the wrapper, see video.
- Repeat for the rest until all the filling is used up.
- Place shao mai on a steaming tray lined with parchment paper and steam for about 12 minutes.
- Remove and serve immediately with soy sauce or crunchy chili oil. They are great additions to noodle or miso soups too.
Notes
Where to find ingredients?
Dumpling wrappers or sui mai wrappers can be found at most Asian grocery stores. Alternatively, you may use eggless wonton wrappers.
You find also find the following ingredients at Asian grocery stores. If not, check them out on Amazon:
Dried shiitake mushrooms - https://amzn.to/2XFfH6i
Chinese five spice - https://amzn.to/3ntmg70
Black bean & garlic sauce - https://amzn.to/2JFqfIL
Shao mai can be frozen for later use.
Place the uncooked shao mai in a freezer proof container and make sure they are not touching. If container is deep, separate each layer with parchment paper so that shao mai don’t stick to one another. To cook, just remove a few and steam directly from frozen for about 15 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
25
Amount Per Serving:Unsaturated Fat: 0g
