Okay, so I’ve been wanting to try making dim sum at home for ages. I finally decided to tackle pork and prawn dim sum. It seemed a bit daunting at first, but honestly, it was more fun than I expected!
Getting Started
First things first, I needed to gather all the ingredients. I already had most of the basics like soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. But I had to make a special trip to the Asian grocery store for things like:
- Fresh prawns (I got the ones that were already peeled and deveined to save time)
- Ground pork (not too lean, you need some fat for flavor!)
- Wonton wrappers (I found square ones, which worked perfectly)
- Fresh ginger and garlic (because everything tastes better with fresh!)
- Green onions (for that nice, fresh oniony bite)
The Mixing Fun
Once I had everything, the real fun began. I chopped the prawns into smaller pieces, but not too finely – I still wanted some texture. Then, I threw the ground pork into a big bowl. I added the chopped prawns to the pork.
Next, I grated a good chunk of fresh ginger and a couple of cloves of garlic into the bowl. Don’t skimp on these! They really make the flavor pop. I chopped up some green onions and added those in too.
Now for the seasonings! I poured in some soy sauce, a dash of sesame oil, a sprinkle of white pepper, and a spoonful of cornstarch (this helps bind everything together). I mixed everything with my hands until it was all nicely combined. It felt a little weird at first, but it’s the best way to get everything evenly distributed.
Wrapping Time!
This was the part I was most nervous about, but it turned out to be pretty easy. I laid out a wonton wrapper, put a spoonful of the pork and prawn mixture in the center, and then wet the edges of the wrapper with a little water. Then, I just folded it up.
I tried a couple of different folding styles. Some I just pinched together at the top, and others I folded into little triangles. They weren’t perfect, but hey, they were homemade!
Steaming to Perfection
I lined my bamboo steamer with some parchment paper (to prevent sticking) and arranged the dim sum inside, making sure they weren’t touching each other. I brought some water to a boil in my wok, placed the steamer on top, and covered it.
I steamed them for about 10-12 minutes, until the prawns were pink and the pork was cooked through. The smell was amazing!
The Taste test
Finally, it was time to eat! I whipped up a quick dipping sauce with some soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a tiny bit of chili oil.
I was so happy with out the dim sum turned out!
They were juicy, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. Definitely a win! I’ll be making these again for sure, maybe trying out some different fillings next time.