siomai: the master of chinese food business

Siomai, or a dumpling of Chinese origin, has indeed captured the hearts and tummy of Filipinos these days. You can find siomai food carts almost everywhere - in almost all train stations, cafeterias and streets. Fast, cheap, yummy food. Who can go wrong on siomai food cart business?Here's a list of siomai food cart franchises available in the Philippines.

-Emperor Siomai

-Pinoy Pao franchise

-Master siomai

-Siomai house

For the filling
1 kilo ground pork (suggested proportion of fat to lean meat is 1:3)
1/3 cup singkamas, minced
1/3 cup carrots, minced
1 large onion, minced
a bunch of spring onions or leeks, chopped
1 egg
3 tablespoons sesame oil
5 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
small wonton or siomai wrappers

For the dipping saucesoy sauce calamansi sesame oil chili paste, optional

Healthy tip For a healthier siomai, use very lean ground pork and increase the proportion of vegetable. You can also add mushrooms and shrimps. If you do, you may need to add one more egg to help bind the mixture.

Tasting tip  Don’t forget to check the seasoning by microwaving a spoonful before wrapping with siomai wrapper. Adjust the salt and pepper, if necessary.

Siomai is a traditional Chinese dumpling. This popular dumpling has made its way to the heart of the Filipino’s as evidenced by the hundreds of stalls, eateries, and restaurants who serve them. Traditionally cooked through steaming, siomai nowadays are also served fried complimented with soy sauce and calamansi.In Manila, the best siomai can be found in the Manila China Town (which is the oldest China Town in the world). Several Chinese restaurants and even stalls serve different siomai varieties. Outside of China town, Pao Tsin would be the best one for me.

This Siomai recipe that I have for you is the Cantonese variety. It basically makes use of ground pork, shrimps, and mushrooms as the main ingredients. I liked this recipe for its oriental taste.