Quail Egg Siu Mai
Delicate pork and shrimp dumplings topped with quail eggs and peas, steamed to tender perfection. A classic dim sum favorite that looks impressive but comes together quickly at home.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 245
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
- 6 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 6 oz ground pork
- ¼ cup water chestnuts, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 whole scallions
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 16 whole wonton wrappers
- 8 whole quail eggs
- 8 whole frozen peas
Instructions
- 1
Finely chop 6 oz of large shrimp into small 1/4-inch pieces — you want them roughly the size of peas so they distribute evenly through the filling. Combine the chopped shrimp with 6 oz ground pork in a medium bowl.
- 2
Finely mince the water chestnuts (about 1/4 cup) and thinly slice 2 scallions, separating white and light green parts from dark green tops. Add the water chestnuts, scallion whites, 0.5 teaspoon fresh minced ginger, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice wine, and 0.5 tablespoon cornstarch to the shrimp-pork mixture.
- 3
Mix the filling gently with your fingers until just combined — avoid overworking, which makes the dumplings dense. The filling should hold together loosely when pressed.
- 4
Place a wonton wrapper on a damp cutting board. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each wrapper — it should form a mound about the size of a walnut. You'll make 8 siu mai, so fold only 8 wrappers now, leaving the rest covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.
- 5
To fold each dumpling: gather the corners of the wrapper up around the filling, but don't seal the top completely. Instead, let the corners overlap slightly at the top, creating an open-faced pouch with a small opening at the peak. The filling should peek out a bit from the top — this is traditional siu mai shape.
- 6
Place each folded siu mai seam-side up on a parchment square (about 2-inch squares cut ahead of time). Gently press the sides of the wrapper so they cling to the filling for a neat appearance. As you finish each dumpling, set it on its parchment square on a large plate.
- 7
Fill the bottom of a bamboo steamer or a 12-inch stainless steel steamer basket with about 1 inch of water. Bring it to a rolling boil over high heat — you should see vigorous steam rising from the basket.
- 8
Carefully arrange the siu mai on the steamer tray on their parchment squares, leaving at least 0.5 inch of space between each dumpling so steam circulates. Place the steamer basket over the boiling water and reduce heat to medium-high so the water maintains a gentle but steady boil.
- 9
Steam for 8 minutes. The wonton wrappers will turn translucent and slightly puffy, and the filling should feel firm when you gently press a dumpling with your finger — there should be minimal give.
- 10
While the dumplings steam, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Gently add 8 quail eggs and simmer for exactly 3 minutes — this gives you a soft-cooked yolk with a set but tender white. Transfer to an ice bath immediately using a slotted spoon.
- 11
Once the quail eggs have cooled enough to handle, carefully peel away the thin shell under cool running water — start at the broader end where there's usually an air pocket. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- 12
When the dumplings are done steaming, carefully open the steamer. Top each siu mai with 1 quail egg, nestling it gently into the opening at the peak. Place 1 frozen pea beside the egg on each dumpling for color and tradition — it will thaw from the residual heat and look like a jade accent.
- 13
Drizzle 2 teaspoons of sesame oil mixed with 1 teaspoon soy sauce over the finished dumplings. Scatter the reserved dark green scallion tops over the plate for freshness and color.
- 14
Serve immediately while the dumplings are still warm and steaming. Arrange them on a small plate or bamboo basket. The quail eggs should still have slightly runny yolks — when you bite into a dumpling, the yolk will create a rich sauce that mingles with the shrimp-pork filling.
Tools you’ll need
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- medium mixing bowl
- bamboo steamer or 12-inch stainless steel steamer basket
- large plate
- parchment paper and scissors
- small saucepan
- slotted spoon
- instant-read thermometer (optional, for water temperature)
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