Siomai Soup

Siomai soup is a hearty soup featuring a popular dumpling called siomai. Instead of just steaming the siomai, we made a soup stock flavored with chicken broth, sesame oil, fish sauce, ginger, onion and garlic. Miswa, a hair-like noodle, and cabbage are then added for additional texture. Siomai soup is best served together with chili garlic oil.

Siomai Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 20 pieces frozen siomai
• Oil (for sauteing)
• 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 thumb size ginger (minced)
• Fish sauce to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 5 to 6 cups of water
• 1 piece chicken broth cube
• 1 packet miswa noodles
• 250 grams cabbage (chopped)
• Drops of sesame oil (optional)
• Spring onions (chopped)

For the chili garlic oil:

• 20 pieces red chili (minced or chopped)
• 1 bulb of garlic (minced)
• ¼ cup of oil
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Remove the frozen siomai from the freezer and then thaw. Once slightly warmed, break them up to individual pieces.
2. Heat some oil in a deep pot. Add the garlic, ginger and onions. Saute them for a few minutes until fragrant. Add the siomai pieces and saute them all together. Season with some black pepper and fish sauce to taste. Continue sauteing until the strong aroma of the fish sauce evaporates.
3. Then, add enough amount of water and the chicken broth cube. Cover the pot and let this simmer for 20 minutes using medium heat.
4. While simmering, you can also make some homemade chili garlic oil on the side. To make this, start by pouring the oil in a small pan. Grind the garlic and chilies using a blender or food processor. Add them to a pan. Let this simmer slowly using very low heat. Season according to your taste.
5. After 20 minutes of cooking the siomai, add a small pack of miswa noodles. You may gently crack them into shorter pieces before adding into the pan. Submerge the noodles into the broth to fully cook. Then, add the chopped cabbage. Let them cook for 3 minutes.
6. You may add a few drops of sesame oil if you like. Lastly, sprinkle some chopped spring onions on top. Then, turn the heat off.
7. Transfer the siomai soup to a serving bowl. Drizzle more sesame oil and add more chopped spring onions on top. You may also add fried garlic bits if you like. Don’t forget to add our homemade chili garlic oil! Make sure to get your basic condiments ready on the side. Yum!

What is Siomai

Siomai is a popular and delicious Chinese dim sum dish that has become popular in various Asian countries and beyond. It consists of small, bite-sized dumplings that are typically filled with a mixture of minced pork or shrimp, along with other ingredients like mushrooms, water chestnuts, and seasoning. The filling is usually seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, and other flavorings.

The word “siomai” itself has its roots in Hokkien, a dialect of Chinese spoken in southern China and Southeast Asia. In Mandarin Chinese, these dumplings are often referred to as “shāomài” (烧卖), and they are believed to have originated in the southern parts of China.

The concept of dumplings has a long history in Chinese cuisine, dating back thousands of years. Dumplings were initially used as a convenient way to preserve and transport food, as they could be easily made with simple ingredients and then boiled or steamed. Over time, as culinary techniques evolved, dumplings began to take on various forms and flavors, including the siomai we know today.

The modern siomai that we are familiar with likely developed in the Cantonese-speaking regions of China, such as Guangdong and Hong Kong. These regions have a rich tradition of dim sum, which are bite-sized dishes often served in small portions, making them perfect for sharing and sampling a variety of flavors.

Siomai’s popularity grew and spread as Chinese immigrants migrated to different parts of the world. As they settled in new countries, they brought their culinary traditions with them, leading to the adaptation and localization of dishes like siomai. This is why you can find variations of siomai in various Asian countries and beyond, each with their own unique twists on the traditional recipe.

The exact timeline and details of siomai’s evolution are challenging to pinpoint due to the nature of oral culinary traditions and the lack of recorded historical data. However, it’s clear that siomai’s history is closely tied to the broader history of Chinese migration, culinary exchange, and the development of regional variations in different parts of the world.

Siomai is commonly served with dipping sauces such as soy sauce mixed with calamansi (a citrus fruit) or chili oil. It can be enjoyed as a snack, appetizer, or as part of a larger dim sum spread in Chinese restaurants.

How to Make Siomai Soup

We always know siomai as one of the steamed dumplings or with their fried counterpart. Let me introduce to you another way to enjoy siomai and adding a layer or warmth and love to it.

In this recipe, let start with frozen siomai. While making homemade siomai is a lot better, using ready to cook siomai provides convenience and cooks faster. Start by taking out 20 pieces of frozen siomai from the freezer and allowing them to thaw. Usually, siomai packs appear in 30-60 pieces per pack. You may adjust this recipe according to your need. Once they’ve slightly warmed, easily break them into individual pieces for convenience.

In a deep pot, heat up a dash of oil. Infuse the kitchen with the aroma of sautéed goodness by adding minced garlic, chopped ginger, and onions. Stir them for a few minutes until their fragrant notes fill the air. Introduce the siomai pieces to the mix, and sauté them collectively. Enhance the flavors with a touch of black pepper and fish sauce, adjusting to your preference. Continue sautéing until the bold essence of the fish sauce dissipates, leaving a delicious medley.

Now, bring depth to the broth by adding an adequate amount of water and a chicken broth cube. Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer gently over medium heat for a delightful 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.

As the soup simmers, you can simultaneously craft a delectable homemade chili garlic oil on the side. Chili garlic oil is one of the most trending and traditional toppings for steamed siomai. For this soup, having a little garlicky kick will surely create a more appetizing dish. There are a lot of ready to use chili garlic oil, but since I have supply of chilies and garlic, lets make this at home. Begin by pouring oil into a small pan. It should be unflavored so that it wont overpower the flavors of garlic and chilies. Transform garlic and chilies into a fragrant paste using a blender or food processor. You can also just mincely chop them. Add this flavorful blend to the pan and let it simmer on very low heat. Customize the seasoning to suit your taste preferences, creating a perfect accompaniment to the soup.

After the siomai has cooked for 20 minutes, we are sure that they are thoroughly cooked. To add some filling experience to the soup, lets add some carbs. And the miswa noodles are the best noodles for light soups. Introduce a small pack of miswa noodles to the pot. To facilitate their cooking, gently crack the noodles into shorter pieces before adding them. Submerge the noodles into the broth, allowing them to absorb the flavors as they fully cook. To complete the healthy mix, incorporate chopped cabbage into the mixture and allow it to cook for an additional 3 minutes, adding a fresh and wholesome element to the dish.

For an added layer of flavor, consider drizzling a few drops of sesame oil into the soup. This is optional, but highly recommended especially if you will not add chili garlic oil for later. As a final touch, sprinkle chopped spring onions on top to infuse a burst of color and freshness. Then, turn off the heat, letting the flavors harmonize.

My siomai soup and homemade chili garlic oil is the ultimate perfect combination. I love having them during rainy days to provide its own warmth and comfort to the soul. Try this now. Yum!

Siomai Soup Recipe in Tagalog

Mga Sangkap:

• 20 piraso ng frozen siomai
• Mantika (pang-gisa)
• 3 butil ng bawang (hiniwa)
• 1 pirasong sibuyas (hiniwa)
• 1 thumb-sized laki ng luya (hiniwa)
• Patis (ayon sa panlasa)
• Paminta (ayon sa panlasa)
• 5 hanggang 6 tasang tubig
• 1 pirasong chicken broth cube
• 1 packet ng miswa noodles
• 250 grams repolyo (hiniwa)
• Sesame oil (optional)
• Spring onions (hiniwa)

Para sa chili garlic oil:

• 20 piraso ng pulang sili (hiniwa ng maliliit)
• 1 bawang (hiniwa)
• ¼ tasa ng mantika
• 2 kutsaritang oyster sauce
• Asin at paminta (ayon sa panlasa)

Paano Lutuin:

1. Kuhanin ang mga frozen siomai mula sa freezer at hayaang lumambot. Paghiwahiwalayin ang mga ito sa individual na piraso gamit ang mga kamay.
2. Magpainit ng mantika sa isang pot. Ilagay ang bawang, luya, at sibuyas. Igisa ito ng ilang minuto hanggang maging mabango. Ilagay ang mga siomai at igisa rin ang mga ito. Timplahan ng konting paminta at patis. Gisahin lamang ang mga ito hanggang mawala ang malakas na amoy ng patis.
3. Sunod na ilagay ang tubig at ang chicken broth cube. Takpan ang kawali at hayaang kumulo ito ng 20 minuto gamit ang katamtamang apoy.
4. Habang hinihintay maluto ang siomai, maaari ka ring gumawa ng homemade chili garlic oil sa gilid. Maglagay ng mantika sa maliit na kawali. I-grind ang bawang at sili gamit ang blender o food processor saka ilagay ang mga ito sa kawali. Pakuluan ang mga ito gamit ang napakababang apoy. Lagyan ng asukal, toyo at paminta ayon sa panlasa.
5. Matapos ang 20 minuto ng pagluluto ng siomai, maglagay ng maliit na packet ng miswa noodles. Pwede mo putulin sa mas maliliit na piraso ang miswa bago ilagay sa kawali. Ilubog ang mga noodles sa sabaw para maluto. Pagkatapos, ilagay ang hiniwang repolyo. Hayaang maluto ito ng 3 minuto.
6. Maglagay ng konting drops ng sesame oil. Budburan ng hiniwang spring onions and ibabaw ng soup. Patayin ang apoy.
7. Ilipat ang siomai soup sa isang serving bowl. Lagyan ito ng konting sesame oil at spring onions sa ibabaw. Pwede mo pa itong pasarapin gamit ang fried garlic bits at ang ginawa nating homemade chili garlic oil! Ihanda rin ang iba pang mga pampalasa. Yum!