Siomay: Indonesian Steamed Dumplings with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

• For the dumpling filling
• 400 g tenggiri (Spanish mackerel), minced or finely ground
• 12–16 siu mai wrappers (round wonton skins)
• For the accompaniments
• 2 medium waxy potatoes, peeled, halved
• 4 eggs, boiled, peeled, halved
• 1 small bitter melon (pare), sliced into rounds, seeds removed
• ¼ head cabbage, cut into wedges
• For the bumbu kacang (peanut sauce)
• 200 g roasted peanuts, skins removed
• 2 red chillies, or to heat preference
• 2 cloves garlic
• 200 ml water, hot, to thin the sauce
• 2 tbsp kecap manis, plus extra to serve
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 tbsp chilli sauce (sambal), to serve

Method

1. 1
   Prepare the bumbu kacang. Grind the roasted peanuts, garlic, and red chillies to a coarse paste using a stone mortar or blender. Thin with hot water to a pourable but coating consistency. Stir in the kecap manis and half the lime juice. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and carry a balance of sweet, salty, and sour.
2. 2
   Steam the potato halves until a skewer meets no resistance at the centre. Set aside in a warm place.
3. 3
   Steam the bitter melon rounds and cabbage wedges until just tender but not collapsed — the melon retains a faint resistance and the cabbage holds its shape.
4. 4
   Shape the siomay. Place a mound of minced mackerel at the centre of each wrapper. Gather the sides upward, pressing the filling firm, leaving the top open and the filling exposed — the classic siu mai form. Repeat until all filling is used.
5. 5
   Arrange the dumplings in a bamboo or metal steamer. Steam over vigorously boiling water until the fish filling is fully set and opaque throughout and the wrappers are translucent and glossy.
6. 6
   Arrange the steamed dumplings, potato, halved boiled eggs, bitter melon, and cabbage on a plate or tray. Drench everything generously with the peanut sauce. Finish with the remaining lime juice, extra kecap manis, and chilli sauce at the table.