Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Gigi's offers all-you-can-eat dim sum for $12. Of course, shu mai is one of the featured items. If you think you can master the "pleating" and "thumping" technique described below, you may have the skills necessary for making this classic Chinese dumpling.
Chef Junnajet Hurpan's Shu Mai Recipe
10 ounces shrimp (ground) 10 ounces crab meat 3 ounces water chestnuts (small diced) 2 teaspoons scallions (chopped) 1 ounce roasted garlic 1 ounce soy sauce 1 teaspoon white pepper 1 egg 2 teaspoons cilantro (chopped) Wonton wrappers
- Combine all the ingredients except for the wrapper in a mixing bowl. Mix them together by hand or rubber spatula until well combined.
- Place a tablespoon of filling on each wrapper. Gather up the sides to form a cup with ripples or pleats, leaving the top open. Thump, or drop, the dumpling on the countertop a couple of times to flatten the bottom so it will stand up and have a cylindrical shape.
- Place the shu mai into a steamer basket for 10 minutes and brush with garlic oil.
- For dipping sauce: Combine soy sauce, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice and sugar in equal parts.
