Shrimp shumai is a staple dim sum recipe made with ginger and garlic shrimp, water chestnuts, and a soy sauce mixture, served as dumplings! These pretty and tasty Chinese appetizers are easier to make than you might think.
What is shumai?
Shrimp shumai are a common feature on the table if you ever try dim sum. They are a kind of dumpling but, unlike others like gyoza or potstickers, shumai (also known as siu mai or shao mai) are typically left open and folded towards the top. In some cases, they are closed, but always feature even, decorative folds around the tasty filling.
While the version that’s probably best known is the Cantonese pork dumplings recipe (sometimes also made with shrimp), you’ll find shumai with various fillings across China and other regions, including Japan.
Even shrimp shumai can have many variations in flavors. This shumai recipe draws on typical Cantonese flavors and simple ingredients for a tasty balance of flavor and texture.
What ingredients do I need to make shrimp shumai?
This recipe for shumai uses easy-to-find, simple ingredients, for a dim sum recipe you can easily make at home:
- Shrimp
- Water chestnuts
- Egg white
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Rice wine vinegar*
What is a good rice wine vinegar substitute?
If you can’t find rice wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar is the best substitute. It has a mild taste and works well as a replacement. However, you could also try white or red wine vinegar.
Where can I find gyoza wrappers?
You can usually find gyoza wrappers in the international aisle of your local grocery store, but if you have trouble finding them, you could also substitute them for wonton wrappers.
How to Make Chinese Dumplings
Follow these instructions to easily make this simple Chinese dumpling recipe:
- Finely chop or grate the garlic and ginger.
- Put them in the food processor along with the peeled shrimp and pulse so the shrimp are well broken up.
- Add the water chestnuts and pulse to chop.
- Add the egg white, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar and pulse to combine.
- Set out shumai dumpling/gyoza wrappers on a dry surface and put a tablespoon of the filling in the middle of each.
- Dampen your finger and moisten the edge of one of the dumpling wrappers. Pinch together the wrapper in small folds, working your way round so the middle of the filling is still showing. Repeat with the rest of the dumplings.
- Brush a steamer with oil or line it with a liner or parchment with holes cut into it. Place dumplings in steamer with a little space between them.
- Set steamer over a pot of water and steam the dumplings for around 6-8 minutes until the shrimp filling is cooked.
- Serve immediately, with your preferred dipping sauce or soy on the side.
You can also make these similar to Chef Ming Tsai of Simply Ming, who flattens the shumai with his palm and sautées them until crispy and golden. Both the traditional and the Smashed Shumai version are delicious.
Is shrimp shumai gluten free?
In most cases, no, shumai are not gluten free, as both the dumpling wrappers and soy sauce typically have gluten in them.
However, if you can find gluten free versions of both, then the recipe is otherwise gluten free.
What to Serve with Shrimp Shumai
These are typically served as part of a dim sum buffet, so you can serve them with other dim sum recipes, such as other varieties of shumai (like pork), potstickers, or other dumplings like Chinese pork and cabbage dumplings.
Pick your favorite dipping sauce to go alongside, whether soy based or, while it’s not traditional, teriyaki sauce would be great as well. Try topping with tobiko (flying fish roe) or chives. You can also widen your menu to other shrimp appetizers, like sang choy bao (Chinese lettuce wraps) and shrimp toast.
If serving as a standalone appetizer, try pineapple teriyaki chicken for dinner, or a tuna rice bowl with yum yum sauce.
Love easy seafood recipes?
Try these…
- Easy Seafood Appetizers
- Fried Oysters Recipe
- Celery Root Soup and Lobster Dinner for Two
- New England Seafood Chowder
- Foil Pack Salmon
- Shrimp Foil Pack
- Cucumber Shrimp Cups
- Salmon Poke Bowl
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Let us know what you think!
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Shrimp shumai is a tasty and EASY staple dim sum recipe made with ginger and garlic shrimp, water chestnuts, and a soy sauce mixture, served as dumplings!
- 1 tsp ginger grated/finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic grated/finely chopped (1 clove)
- 8 oz shrimp peeled, deveined raw
- 1/4 cup water chestnuts (from can)
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 20 gyoza dumpling wrappers (round dumpling wrappers)
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Finely chop or grate the garlic and ginger.
-
Put them in the food processor along with the peeled shrimp and pulse so the shrimp are well broken up.
-
Add the water chestnuts and pulse to chop.
-
Add the egg white, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar and pulse to combine.
-
Set out dumpling/gyoza wrappers on a dry surface and put a tablespoon of the filling in the middle of each.
-
Dampen your finger and moisten the edge of one of the dumpling wrappers. Pinch together the wrapper in small folds, working your way round so the middle of the filling is still showing. Repeat with the rest of the dumplings.
-
Brush a steamer with oil or line it with a liner or parchment with holes cut into it. Place dumplings in steamer with a little space between them. If you can't fit all at once, cook in batches.
-
Set steamer over a pot of water and steam the dumplings for around 6-8 minutes until the shrimp filling is cooked.
-
Serve immediately, with your preferred dipping sauce or soy on the side.
Recipe Video
RECIPE NOTES:
- You can find ready-made dumpling wrappers in most Asian stores, if not your local supermarket.
- To substitute the rice wine vinegar, try apple cider vinegar, or white or red wine vinegar.
- Shrimp shumai are often served with a little tobiko (flying fish roe) on top for decoration, but you can also add finely chopped chives.
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This post was updated on June 24, 2019.
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