Equipment
Ingredients
Seafood Filling
- 250 g raw prawns, peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
- 150 g cooked crab meat, picked over for shells
- 10 g fresh ginger, finely minced
- 5 g garlic, finely minced
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 8 g cornstarch
- 4 g granulated sugar
- 1 g white pepper
Assembly
- 24 round dumpling wrappers
- 3 napa cabbage leaves, whole
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 39 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 4 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 107 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 23 mg
- Potassium
- 55 mg
- Calcium
- 16 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 44 mg
- Zinc
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 9 mcg
- Water
- 16 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the chopped raw prawns, picked crab meat, minced ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, and white pepper into a mixing bowl. Stir vigorously in one direction until the mixture becomes pasty and sticky.
Cover the mixing bowl and place it in the refrigerator. Allowing the filling to rest chills the fats and proteins, making it firmer and easier to wrap.
Hold a dumpling wrapper in your hand. Spoon about 15g of the chilled filling into the center. Lightly moisten the edges of the wrapper with water, fold it in half, and tightly pleat the edges to seal the filling completely.
Line the bamboo steamer with napa cabbage leaves or perforated parchment paper. Fill a wok or wide pot with a few centimeters of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
Arrange the dumplings in the steamer, leaving at least 2cm of space between each. Place the steamer over the boiling water, cover, and steam until the wrappers are somewhat translucent and the seafood filling reaches a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve the quintessential bouncy prawn texture prized in high-end dim sum, briefly toss the raw, peeled prawns in half a teaspoon of baking soda and let sit for 10 minutes before rinsing thoroughly and chopping.
- Stirring the filling in only one direction is a traditional Chinese technique that aligns the meat proteins, resulting in a cohesive, springy texture rather than a crumbly one.
- If your dumpling wrappers dry out while you are assembling, keep them covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel to maintain their pliability.
- A small amount of finely diced water chestnut or bamboo shoot (about 30g) can be added to the filling for a pleasant, contrasting crunch.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store cooked dumplings in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze uncooked dumplings in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag.
Reheating: Steam directly from frozen for 8-10 minutes, or microwave cooked dumplings with a damp paper towel.
Troubleshooting
Dumpling wrappers burst open during steaming
Cause: The wrappers were overfilled or the edges were not sealed properly with water
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked, but burst dumplings are still safe and delicious to eat
Prevention: Weigh filling to ensure it does not exceed 15g per wrapper, and firmly press the wet edges together to lock the seal
Filling tastes dry and rubbery
Cause: Seafood was heavily overcooked or prawns lacked sufficient fat/moisture
Fix: Serve with a savory soy or chili oil dipping sauce to add moisture back to the bite
Prevention: Do not steam longer than 6 minutes for fresh dumplings, and ensure you stir the filling vigorously to emulsify the liquids before wrapping
Cultural Context
Dim sum literally translates to 'touch the heart' in Cantonese. These delicate seafood bites are a cornerstone of Yam Cha, the traditional morning tea culture where families and friends gather to share small plates in bustling teahouses.
