6black dried mushroomsrehydrated, stems removed and minced
2Tbsp.sesame oil
2Tbsp.soy sauce
½tsp.MSG
½tsp.ground black pepper
40Shao Mai Wrappers1 package
1eggbeaten
Sauce:
¼cupsoy sauce
1Tbsp.vinegar
1Tbsp.scallionfinely minced
Instructions
Stir together filling ingredients. (I coarsely grind pork cubes in food processor and pulse rest of ingredients in. Do not over pulse. Sure beats the traditional way of chopping everything together with a butcher knife.)
While making the dumplings, cover the wrappers with a damp towel to prevent drying.
Place ~1 tablespoon filling in middle of wrapper. Brush edge with a little beaten egg. Fold over in half to form a crescent. Stand crescent on flat edge and turn each pointed end inward. Place on well-oiled heat-proof plate. Chinese dumplings can be made to look like Chinese silver ingots, which are not bars, but boat-shaped, oval, and turned up at the two ends. See illustration.
Place plate on steamer rack. Cover and steam 15 minutes, and serve directly from the steamer.