Dish Explainer

What Is Siu Mai?

Cantonese dim sum · Chinese name · Ordering guide

Siu mai is a central dim sum item and one of the most common steamed dumplings on Cantonese menus.

Common menu signals to check

Pork High Check for pork filling, lard, sausage, ham, roast pork, or pork broth.
Shellfish High Check for shrimp, oyster sauce, dried shrimp, XO sauce, seafood broth, and shared equipment.
Gluten / wheat High Check soy sauce, wrappers, noodles, flour coatings, wheat starch, and shared fryers.
Soy High Check soy sauce, tofu, fermented bean pastes, marinades, and prepared sauces.
Sesame Possible Check sesame oil, sesame paste, sesame seeds, chile crisp, and sauce bars.

Common menu signals to check. Actual ingredients and kitchen practice vary by restaurant.

Quick answer

Siu mai is an open-topped steamed dumpling commonly made with pork, shrimp, mushroom, and a thin yellow wrapper.

Chinese name	Pinyin	Cuisine or format	Usual heat level
çƒ§å–	shāo mài	Cantonese dim sum	Mild

Dim sum works best as a shared small-plate meal, so balance across steamed, fried, baked, and starch-heavy items matters more than choosing a single "main" dish. Dim sum was already established in China by the Song dynasty, long before the modern cart-service version most diners picture today.

What it tastes like

Siu mai is savory, juicy, mildly sweet, and often richer than har gow because it commonly uses pork and shrimp together.

How it appears on menus

It appears in the steamed dim sum section. English menus may spell it siu mai, shu mai, shumai, pork dumpling, or pork-and-shrimp dumpling.

Common variations

Cantonese pork-and-shrimp siu mai
Pork-only versions
Shrimp-heavy versions
Fish roe-topped restaurant versions

Dietary issues

Common issues include pork, shrimp, wheat wrapper, egg in some wrappers, soy sauce, and cross-contact in steamers.

What to order with it

Order with har gow, turnip cake, rice noodle rolls, congee, and greens so the meal is not only dumplings.