Pork and Shrimp Shu Mai (Steamed Dumplings)

The ubiquitous dim sum dumpling. Usually made with pork, shrimp, and mushrooms, you sometimes see it made from beef or chicken, though it's not very common, and not as good IMO. I usually use store bought wonton wrappers, but I have pretty recently acquired a pasta roller so I hope to update this recipe so that you can make it completely from scratch. I'm no master dim sum maker, this is just (roughly) how I do it. I'd love suggestions if any of you know ways to improve it.

Save your shrimp shells and mushroom stems for stock.

Ingredients:

• Wonton or gyoza wrappers, square or circle, doesn't really matter
• 1 lb ground pork, not too lean
• 1/4 lb shrimp, any size, shelled, deveined, rough chopped in to small pieces, about .5 cm
• 2-3 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, minced. Use fresh or rehydrated dried ones.
• 2 tbsp ginger, peeled, minced fine.
• 2 scallion, minced fine.
• 2 tbsp light soy
• 2 tsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• few dashes white pepper
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• salt

Garnishes (optional):

• flying fish roe
• minced carrot
• minced red pepper
• peas
• pretty much anything, really

Method

Line bamboo steamer with parchment paper perforated with holes or lotus or banana leaf. Mix all ingredients but the wrappers together in a bowl. Take about 1 tbsp of the mixture and place in the middle of a wrapper. Cup the dumpling in one hand and bring edges up, pinching on either side to make the wrapper stick to the ball of filling, trying to prevent air pockets from forming. Pinch and form dumpling such that the top remains open and the filling comes just up to the top of the wrapper edge. Place in bamboo steamer, pressing bottom of dumpling on the steamer lightly to form a flat bottom. Steam for 5-10 min or until just cooked through, this will depend heavily on how much steam you can generate. Serve alone or with some garlic chili paste loosened in a bit of light soy.