Siu Mai and Green Onion Pancake

Had a friend over to 'inspect' our balcony and to give me some ideas about so called urban garden. Beside my poor photography skill, my gardening skill is not that great either - when cactus dies on me, I know I am not cut for any gardening. But I do want some herbs and such, just not brave enough to start them.

Then we decided to have some afternoon snacks with minted cold iced tea. So after quick peek to fridge, she spotted a pack of dumplings wrappers that I just got day before and suggested some siumai. Once the package is opened, I found out how thick the wrap is. I tend to pick up different brand once in a while, just to test it out and this time is maybe the thickest one ever. My mom or grandma would say something like 'You could have just made it from scracth and be consistent in its thickness.' If only.

So we were doing some prep work, dragging my stools so I can reach to the top shelf of my kitchen cabinet - only to realize I don't have my bamboo steamer. Used it as container/serving dish for pot luck dinner few months ago and it's still at friend's house. So, thick dumpling skins and no steamer. We then opted to pan-fry it like gyoza.

To pair it up, thin onion pancake (crepe) filled with carmelized onions and mushrooms.

Siu Mai
- 10 wrappers
- 5 shrimps, chopped coarsely
- 5 shrimps, minced
- 1/4 cup ground chicken (or pork)
- 2 shiitake mushroom, finely chopped
- dash of chinese cooking wine
- dash of sesame oil
- pinch of five spice powder
- 1 garlic, minced
- garlic, grated
- soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp of rice flour/ corn starch
- carrots, diced to tiny cubes.

How:
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl (except wrappers and carrots).
- Make a very loose fist of left hand (as in making a letter C), place one wrapper on top of fist, over the hollow part. Push wrapper down a little bit to fit the hollow of fist.
- Put 1 tbs of filling onto it. Slowly (or quickly) shape it to sio may shape, with the help of spoon on top to pack it down. Top it with carrot cube.
- Traditionally, steam it in bamboo steamer, with layer of napa cabbage underneath it. But we have to pan fry it, by putting a touch of oil to the pan, once the bottom part is browned, pour a little bit water to the pan. Cover. It will steam through very quickly, 10 minutes top.

I wish I could describe better on shaping these open top basket like dumplings. Maybe, I should draw them up? Hmm. We sort of forgot about the siu may while it was pan fried, by the time we lift the lid to pour the water, the bottom side of the dumplings started to brown towards super crispy almost burn stage. It doesn't prevent us from chowing all ten of them down.


Green onion pancake/ crepe - was decided at last minute. Basically just rice flour, water, chopped up green onions, salt and pepper, whisk. It resembles thinner version of breakfast pancake batter, like crepe batter. Heat up some oil, pour pancake batter, tilt the pan so batter coat the pan nicely. Only flip when one side starts having golden brown specks. We fill it with caramelized sweet onions and mushroom.

Mix up a quick dipping sauce: hot sauce, touch of chili oil, hoisin and sesame oil.