What you got cookin? Shaomai!

As much fun as it is to jeer the other guys, it's time for another recipe! And I want it planted right here. The only problem is, that I haven't decided which one yet? Keep watching, I'll figure it out soon enough. But it's definitely time for some good food again. My house stinks of mineral spirits from the clocks, and I have hay fever right now, so I'm all doped up on antihistamines, so I'm having a hard time figuring out my own cravings- but it's gone far too long without a new recipe from my personal collection. I'll find one...

Ok, I've made up my mind. Let go for some Dim Sum, in particular Shu Mai, or Shaomai, there is like 20 different spelling of the same thing (it means "food to sell"). It's one of my favorites, but I've never seen it along with Pot Stickers at the market? If you want this one, most likely your going to have to make it for yourself, or you live in a more ethnically diverse neighborhood than I do?

So what is it? It's an over-stuffed ravioli- it's that thing in the steamer that looks like a unopened flower, normally with square of carrot in the middle. However, I describe it to the old ladies as sausage, once most are made from ground pork. And that's what I've got on my mind;

1 oz of Straw Mushrooms (you can dice up a button mushroom, it doesn't matter much)
2 Green Onions (diced)
6 to 8 slices of Water Chestnuts (diced up into cubes)
1 lb ground pork (I normally use a half a package of Farmer John)
2 slices of sandwich ham (sliced up into tiny squares)
1/4 - 1/2 t Sesame Oil (it's a flavor that you have to learn, so go light to start)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t sugar
pinch or two of cayenne pepper
1 tbl cooking sherry
3 tbl spoons cornstarch

I never buy wanton wrappers, I just quarter a few egg roll wrappers, so I don't end up with lots of rotting leftover noodles in my refrigerator. I just find the size of a wanton inconvenient to me, but you will need about two dozen wanton wrappers for this.

Spray a couple of plates for your bamboo steamers, with some cooking oil, to prevent sticking.
The method used by most restaurants, is to use a cabbage leaf in the steamer- it doesn't matter, either way. (These pictured here, look like they're sitting on a spring roll wrapper- frankly I don't scrubbing my steamer that much, so I like to keep it as clean as possible).
Mix all of the above into a bowl, all that starch will make it sticky in no time!
Spread a thin layer of the mixture over a wanton wrapper, evenly, in the palm of your hand, with a fork. Then just cup your hand up, and shape it into a flower cup. It so sticky it will stay!
Once you have dozen crammed onto a plate, drop it in your steamer for half hour.
Serve hot, strait from the steamer. I don't really care about the garish of a pea or carrot, but it's up to you.

It's a double feature! Once I'm sure your stuck now with a lot of leftover wanton wrappers, here's what to do with them:
Take a glass pie plate, and mash 4 oz cream cheese block out with a fork. Lots of deep grooves is best! Sprinkle with sugar, and a splash or two with soy sauce- NO REALLY, IT'S GREAT- just trust me on this! Work this mix up into a brown paste. Now, your suppose to use like crab or imitation crab meat with it, but I don't bother because it's too strong a flavor for the fish anyhow! Anyway, put a dab in the middle of your wanton wrapper, and with a wet finger, seal that sucker tight, folding it into a triangle. Once you've used up cream cheese mixture, toss a plate full of these wantons into the freezer, to make them quite hard, and stiff, it only takes like a couple of minutes to freeze a wanton.

Now pour a good pool of oil into a wok. And fry the frozen treats in the hot oil for a minute or two. Serve with the Shaomai as sweet fried treat on the side. Who wants some Dim Sum?

It's 9:15 AM, and now I'm ready for dinner! Go get them wrappers, ground pork and sesame oil.

Yeah, I stole the picture from Wikipedia, it was easier and faster than making up a batch just for a photo- forgive me!
-:)