Vegan Siu Mai Food

VEGAN SIU MAI

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat margarine. Once it sizzles, add ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add seitan and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tamari and five-spice powder and cook for 3 minutes before adding hoisin sauce. Add cabbage and carrots and cook 5 more minutes.
• Make a circle with your forefinger and thumb. Place dumpling wrapper over your hand and then place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center. Fold up sides of the dumpling, creating a little cup. Dot the middle of each dumpling with a pea for garnish.
• Fill a large saucepan 1/4 of the way with water, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a metal colander over the pot steam buns for about 15 minutes.

SIU MAI

Steps:

• In a small bowl soak the mushrooms in 1/2 cup cold water 30 minutes or until softened.
• Drain and squeeze dry, reserving the soaking liquid.
• Cut off and discard the stems and mince the caps.
• In a processor, chop shrimp into small pieces.
• Add to pork and remaining ingredients.
• Add 1- 1 1/2 tsp mushroom water.
• Put the won ton wrappers on a work surface and lightly cover with a damp towel.
• Touch the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your thumb to form a small empty circle, or hole.
• Put one wrapper over the hole and put1 tablespoon filling in the center of the wrapper.
• Let the filled wrapper drop halfway through the hole, and gently squeeze it closed with your fingers.
• Put on a work surface and carefully pleat the excess wrapper, pressing down the filling.
• Put the dumpling upright on a plate.
• Continue filling the rest of the wrappers.
• Press 1 caper on top of each dumpling.
• Line a 12-inch bamboo steamer with a cheesecloth, or add oil to a plate.
• Place half the dumplings on the plate, 1/2-inch apart.
• Cover the steamer with its lid.
• Add water to a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok to a depth of 3/4-inch and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Carefully put the steamer in the wok, and steam on high heat 15 minutes or until the pork is no longer pink and just cooked.
• Be sure to check the water level from time to time and replenish, if necessary, with boiling water.
• Carefully remove the steamer from the wok.
• The dumplings should be served immediately.
• Continue steaming the remaining dumplings, replenishing the wok with more boiling water.

SIU MAI (DIM SUM)

Steps:

• Put the water chestnuts, ginger, spring onion, light soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, prawns, pork, egg white and potato flour in a bowl and mix throughly with your hands to combine. Leave to marinate for 20-30 mins for the flavours to mingle.
• Stack the wrappers on a work surface covered with a damp cloth and line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. Put a wrapper in the palm of your hand and add 1 tbsp of the filling into the centre. Bring up the sides of the wrapper around the filling to make a basket shape, but don't squeeze the top together - you should still be able to see the filling.
• Add more filling if needed until it's reached the top of the gap, pressing down gently with a damp finger until flat. Tap the dumpling on the bench to flatten the base and put on the prepared tray. Add a goji berry, if you like. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling until you have about 20 dumplings.
• Put a disc of non-stick parchment into a steamer and fill with some of the dumplings, leaving a little space between each. Cover and steam over a wok of simmering water for 8-10 mins, or use an electric steamer. Repeat with the remaining dumplings. Serve with the dipping sauce.