Cantonese Siu Mai (Steamed Pork Dumplings)

Coarsely chop the pork shoulder by hand or pulse briefly in a processor — the result must retain visible chunks, not collapse into a smooth paste. Roughly chop the shrimp into pieces of similar size. Combine both in a bowl.

Add the lard, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper, and cornstarch to the bowl. Using a single hand or a spatula, mix vigorously in one direction only — this is the stage on which the dish lives or dies: continue until the filling pulls together into a cohesive, sticky mass with a perceptible elasticity (tan ya), yet the chunks of pork and shrimp remain distinct. Under-mixing yields a crumbling filling; over-mixing yields paste. The correct texture is firm, springy, and slightly tacky to the touch.

Place one wrapper flat in the palm of the hand. Set a generous spoonful of filling in the centre — enough to mound above the rim. Gather the wrapper up from below, pressing gently around the waist to form an open-topped cylinder. Do not fold or pleat as for jiaozi. Squeeze the waist lightly between thumb and forefinger so the dumpling holds its cylindrical shape and the filling is level with or slightly proud of the wrapper's edge. Work in batches and fill only as many as will fit the steamer at once — do not allow assembled dumplings to sit exposed.

Press a single piece of garnish — crab roe, a pea, or a goji berry — into the centre of each exposed filling top.

Line the steamer basket with perforated parchment or lightly oiled cabbage leaves. Arrange siu mai with a small gap between each. Bring the water beneath to a full rolling boil before setting the basket in place. Steam at full boil for 6–8 minutes. The filling is done when the top surface has just set from glossy and raw to opaque and firm; the pork must be cooked through entirely.