Shao Mai (Pork Dumplings)
(c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved)

    1 pound ground pork
    1 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
    1 tablespoon soy sauce
    1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
    1 tablespoon sesame oil
    2 teaspoons sugar
    2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
    2 tablespoons cornstarch
    1 teaspoon coarse salt
    1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
    30 shao mai or dumpling wrappers 

Combine the pork, water chestnuts, soy sauce, vinegar, oil,
sugar, ginger, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix
well to combine (hands work well for this). Place a dumpling
wrapper in the palm of one hand and cup it loosely. Place
a generous tablespoon of filling in the center of the
wrapper. With your free hand, gather the sides of the wrapper
around the filling, letting the wrapper pleat naturally.
Squeeze the middle gently and tap the dumpling to flatten the
bottom so that it can stand upright. The meat filling will
show a little at the top. Make the remaining dumplings in the
same manner.

Arrange filled dumplings about 1/4 inch apart in two steamer
trays that have been lined with wet cheesecloth. (At this
point, you can refrigerate dumplings, covered, for 24 hours.)

When ready to steam, fill a wok or lower part of a steamer
with water so that it comes within an inch of the steamer
tray, and bring to a rolling boil. Stack the steamer trays
in the wok or steamer, cover tightly, and steam dumplings
for 20-25 minutes over high heat, reversing the trays after
10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer dumplings to a
platter and serve with Spicy Dipping Sauce.

Yield: 30 dumplings

Prep Time: 1 hours 0 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes