Steamed Siu Mai (Deconstructed Filling) | IDDSI Level 5 Recipe

IDDSI Level 5 (Minced & Moist) | 30 minutes | Easy

Siu mai (燒賣) is among the most recognisable symbols of Hong Kong dim sum culture — open-topped steamed dumplings with a thin wheat wrapper encasing a dense pork and shrimp filling, crowned with a dot of fish roe or a single dried shrimp. While the filling itself is already minced, a whole siu mai is too large and too springy to meet IDDSI Level 5 Minced & Moist requirements. This adaptation deconstructs the dish entirely: the filling is prepared as normal but formed into small individual patties without any wrapper, steamed until just cooked through, and served fully submerged in warm, savoury chicken broth. The result retains the distinctive flavour of siu mai — the sesame-scented pork, the sweet snap of shrimp — in a format that is completely safe for individuals on a Level 5 diet.

Ingredients (2 servings, approximately 8–10 patties)

Minced filling:

• 150g minced pork (half-lean, half-fat; mince until nearly paste-like)
• 80g fresh shrimp (peeled and deveined; finely minced)
• 2 water chestnuts (peeled, minced to under 0.3cm; optional — omit if particle size cannot be guaranteed)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• A few drops of sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• A pinch of white pepper

For serving:

• 150ml clear chicken stock (low-sodium, heated)
• A few strands of fine ginger julienne (garnish; optional)

Method

1. Mince pork and shrimp separately until nearly paste-like. Shrimp has a naturally springy texture and requires thorough mincing — there should be no discernible individual strands remaining.
2. If using water chestnuts, mince finely to under 0.3cm. Combine with the pork and shrimp.
3. Add all seasoning ingredients; stir vigorously in one direction for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.
4. Divide into 8–10 equal portions; shape each into a small flat patty approximately 3cm in diameter and 1cm thick.
5. Arrange the patties on a lightly oiled steaming plate with 1cm spacing between each.
6. Steam over high heat for 10–12 minutes until the centre of each patty is cooked through — a bamboo skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean with clear (not pink) juices.
7. Transfer patties to a shallow bowl; pour hot chicken stock over them, ensuring each patty is fully submerged with no exposed surfaces.
8. Serve immediately. If needed, use a fork or spoon to gently press each patty into smaller segments before serving.

Texture Test

Fork pressure test: Passes Level 5 — the steamed patties yield easily under the side of a fork without cutting; the texture is uniformly soft and cohesive; any water chestnut pieces should be indistinguishable as individual particles.

Moisture check: Every patty must be fully immersed in warm stock at the moment of serving. If the stock is absorbed before service, add more hot stock — dry surfaces are a Level 5 non-compliance.

Safety Notes

⚠️ No wrappers used — traditional siu mai wrappers, even after steaming, produce a whole dumpling that is too large and too elastic for Level 5 compliance. This recipe omits the wrapper entirely. Serve only the minced filling patties.

⚠️ Water chestnut particle size — water chestnuts retain some crunch even after cooking; if you cannot guarantee all pieces are under 0.3cm, omit them. They are an optional flavour/texture element, not essential to the dish.

⚠️ Shrimp texture — shrimp is naturally firmer and more springy than pork; insufficient mincing leaves elastic strands that can resist tongue compression. If any springy texture is detected in the cooked patties, the shrimp was not minced finely enough — consider re-mincing or processing in a food processor on future batches.

Sourcing in Hong Kong

• Minced pork: Wet market butchers; ask for half-lean, half-fat pork that has been double-minced; the fat content is important for achieving the soft, moist texture of the cooked patty
• Fresh shrimp: Wet market fishmongers; mid-size fresh shrimp is easier to mince evenly than large prawns; frozen peeled shrimp is a convenient alternative — thaw completely and pat dry before mincing
• Water chestnuts: Available at wet market produce stalls year-round; canned water chestnuts (PARKnSHOP, Wellcome) are an acceptable substitute but tend to be softer, which is actually advantageous for this recipe
• Clear chicken stock: Low-sodium varieties (Swanson, Chef’s Choice) or homemade; avoid MSG-heavy instant stock cubes

Nutrition

Approximately 220 kcal per serving (4–5 patties), 22g protein, 12g fat. The combination of pork and shrimp delivers a complete amino acid profile at high protein density — particularly valuable for elderly residents at risk of sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). Steaming preserves natural flavour compounds without adding cooking oil, keeping fat content lower than fried dim sum alternatives. Serving in broth simultaneously provides fluid, which is beneficial for residents with inadequate daily fluid intake.

Cultural Note

Siu mai has been a cornerstone of Cantonese dim sum culture for centuries, evolving from a Mongolian-influenced street food into the iconic open-topped dumpling that anchors every Hong Kong yum cha trolley. For many elderly Hong Kong residents, the smell of freshly steamed siu mai is a deeply conditioned food memory associated with family Sunday dim sum outings. By preserving the filling’s characteristic aroma and flavour in an IDDSI-compliant format, this recipe allows residents with dysphagia to participate in the shared cultural ritual of dim sum — not as a separate “special diet” but as an acknowledged and dignified adaptation of a beloved tradition.