I’m sharing my favorite take on Thai Steamed Dumplings, packed with savory pork or plump shrimp and paired with a zesty dipping sauce that begs a closer look.

Jump to Recipe

I can’t resist saying it: my Easy Kanom Jeeb are tiny flavor bombs. These Thai Steamed Dumplings use store bought wonton wrappers wrapped around seasoned ground pork that steam into juicy pockets of umami.

They’re not fussy but they do feel special, the kind of snack that makes people ask for the recipe, or stare at the platter like it’s some little mystery. I pull them out at parties because they disappear fast, and honestly I always grab one before anyone notices.

There’s a dipping sauce that flips the whole thing, you gotta try it to see why these Thai Dumplings steal the show.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Wonton wrappers: thin carbs, quick energy, slightly chewy when steamed, mild taste.
Ground pork: high protein, adds juiciness and fat, helps bind the filling.
Shrimp: lean protein, briny sweetness, cooks fast and adds nice texture.
Shiitake mushrooms: earthy umami, low calorie, fiber and savory depth.
Water chestnuts: crisp crunch, mostly carbs, refreshing contrast in mouthfeel.
Green onions: fresh sharpness, small vitamin boost, brightens heavier flavors.
Garlic: pungent punch, adds aromatic depth, subtle health boosting notes.
Cilantro: herbaceous citrusy lift, adds freshness, some people dislike it’s soapiness.
Soy sauce: salty umami, provides savory backbone and a deeper brown color.
Sesame oil: strong toasted aroma, little goes a long way as finishing oil.

Ingredient Quantities

Wonton wrappers, 30 to 40 round wrappers (store-bought wonton or gyoza wrappers)

Ground pork, 1 lb (450 g), or sub ground chicken/turkey if you want

Shrimp, 6 oz (170 g) peeled, deveined and finely chopped, optional or mixed with pork

Fresh shiitake mushrooms, 1 cup chopped (or 4 to 5 dried, rehydrated and chopped)

Water chestnuts, 1/2 cup finely chopped (or 1/2 cup jicama for crunch)

Green onions, 3 stalks, thinly sliced

Garlic, 2 cloves, minced

Cilantro, 2 tbsp chopped (stems okay)

Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp (30 ml)

Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp (15 ml)

Fish sauce, 1 tsp (5 ml), optional

Granulated sugar, 1 tsp (5 g)

White pepper, 1/2 tsp

Sesame oil, 1 tsp (5 ml)

Cornstarch, 1 tbsp (8 g)

Egg, 1 large (for binding, optional)

Vegetable oil, 1 tsp (5 ml)

Sesame seeds, 1 tsp for garnish, optional

Dipping sauce option A, Thai sweet chili sauce 1/2 cup (120 ml) store-bought

Dipping sauce option B, rice vinegar 3 tbsp (45 ml), sugar 2 tbsp (25 g), water 2 tbsp (30 ml), chopped Thai chilies 1 to 2, fish sauce 1 tsp (optional)

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Get everything ready first: finely chop shiitake, water chestnuts or jicama, green onions and cilantro, mince garlic and finely chop shrimp if using, keep wonton wrappers covered so they dont dry out.

2. In a big bowl mix ground pork and chopped shrimp if you want them together, add the mushrooms, water chestnuts, green onions, garlic and cilantro.

3. Season the mix with light soy sauce 2 tbsp, oyster sauce 1 tbsp, fish sauce 1 tsp if using, sugar 1 tsp, white pepper 1/2 tsp and sesame oil 1 tsp; add cornstarch 1 tbsp and the egg if you want extra binding, and drizzle the vegetable oil 1 tsp; use your hands to mix until tacky and well combined.

4. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each round wrapper, wet the edge with a little water, then gather or pleat the wrapper into a small purse and pinch to seal, or just fold into a neat half moon if thats easier; dont overfill or theyll burst when steamed.

5. Place assembled dumplings on a parchment lined steamer tray or on cabbage leaves or lightly oiled parchment so they wont stick, leave a little space between each one.

6. Bring water to a rolling boil in your steamer pot, set the tray in, cover and steam over medium high heat for about 6 to 8 minutes until the pork is cooked through and wrappers look slightly translucent.

7. While they steam make the dipping sauces: option A is store bought Thai sweet chili sauce, option B mix rice vinegar 3 tbsp, sugar 2 tbsp, water 2 tbsp, chopped Thai chilies 1 to 2 and fish sauce 1 tsp if you like; stir until sugar dissolves.

8. When done lift dumplings carefully to a plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onion or cilantro, serve hot with the dipping sauce you prefer.

9. Tips and hacks: to get a slight chew pan fry bottoms in a hot skillet with a little oil for 1 minute after steaming, you can freeze raw assembled dumplings on a tray then bag them for later, and always cover wrappers with a damp towel while you work so they dont crack.

Equipment Needed

1. Cutting board
2. Sharp chef’s knife
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Measuring spoons and measuring cups
5. Tablespoon or small scoop and a stirring spoon
6. Small bowl of water (for sealing) and a pastry brush or finger
7. Damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap (to keep wrappers from drying)
8. Steamer with lid and steamer tray (bamboo or metal) and a pot
9. Parchment paper rounds or cabbage leaves for lining the tray
10. Nonstick skillet (optional, to crisp bottoms after steaming)

FAQ

Q: What kind of wrappers should I use and can I use square wonton wrappers instead?

A: Round store bought wonton or gyoza wrappers work best, they fold nicer and give that classic look. You can use square wonton wrappers, just trim or fold them into a round shape. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel while working or they’ll dry out and crack.

Q: Can I make these without pork or as a vegetarian version?

A: Yes. Swap ground pork for ground chicken or turkey, or use firm crumbled tofu mixed with lots of chopped mushrooms and water chestnut for crunch. Taste and bump up soy or oyster sauce since tofu needs more seasoning.

Q: How do I stop the dumplings from sticking to the steamer?

A: Line the steamer with parchment paper with holes, cabbage leaves, or a silicone liner. Lightly brush oil on the liner or under each dumpling. Also don’t overcrowd them, give each one a little space.

Q: How long do I steam them and how do I know they’re cooked?

A: Steam fresh dumplings about 8 to 10 minutes, maybe 10 to 12 if extra meaty or filled with shrimp. Pork should reach 165 F (74 C) or be no longer pink. Shrimp turns opaque. Don’t oversteam or skins get gummy.

Q: Can I freeze kanom jeeb and how do I cook from frozen?

A: Yes freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to a zip bag. Steam from frozen about 12 to 15 minutes (add a few minutes vs fresh). Do not thaw then refreeze.

Q: What dipping sauce should I serve with them?

A: Store bought Thai sweet chili is an easy winner. Or mix rice vinegar, sugar, water and chopped chilies (plus fish sauce if you like) for a bright sweet-sour dip. Soy sauce with a splash of sesame oil and chopped chilies works too.

Easy Kanom Jeeb (Thai Steamed Dumplings) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Wonton wrappers: swap with gyoza/gyoza wrappers or thin spring roll wrappers trimmed into circles; they steam the same so use about the same amount.
Ground pork: replace 1 to 1 with ground chicken or turkey, or for a veg version use crumbled firm tofu plus extra chopped mushrooms for bite.
Shrimp: omit and add 1/2 cup more ground meat, or use chopped canned crab or imitation crab, or finely chopped king oyster mushrooms for a similar chewy texture.
Fish sauce: use light soy sauce or tamari 1 to 1 for a vegetarian friendly swap, or add a splash more oyster sauce for extra umami if you want.

Pro Tips

– Get the moisture under control. Pat chopped shrimp, rehydrated mushrooms and water chestnuts dry with paper towels or squeeze them in a clean towel, otherwise the filling gets soggy and the wrappers tear. If mushrooms seem watery, give them a quick sauté to concentrate the flavor and let cool before mixing.

– Chill the filling before wrapping. Cold filling firms up and is way easier to handle so your dumplings hold their shape; it also helps the cornstarch and egg bind better so they don’t weep during steaming.

– Always taste-test the seasoning. Fry a tiny patty of the mixture, cool and sample it, then tweak soy, sugar or fish sauce as needed; pork needs bold seasoning to come through once wrapped.

– Steam smart and finish for texture. Don’t crowd the steamer, leave space between dumplings, and steam 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through or until pork reaches about 160 F (71 C). For a nicer mouthfeel, pan fry the bottoms in a hot skillet with a splash of oil for about a minute after steaming, and freeze any raw dumplings on a tray first so they don’t stick when bagged.

Easy Kanom Jeeb (Thai Steamed Dumplings) Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventichi

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my favorite take on Thai Steamed Dumplings, packed with savory pork or plump shrimp and paired with a zesty dipping sauce that begs a closer look.

Servings

servings

Calories

481

kcal

Equipment: 1. Cutting board
2. Sharp chef’s knife
3. Large mixing bowl
4. Measuring spoons and measuring cups
5. Tablespoon or small scoop and a stirring spoon
6. Small bowl of water (for sealing) and a pastry brush or finger
7. Damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap (to keep wrappers from drying)
8. Steamer with lid and steamer tray (bamboo or metal) and a pot
9. Parchment paper rounds or cabbage leaves for lining the tray
10. Nonstick skillet (optional, to crisp bottoms after steaming)

Ingredients

Wonton wrappers, 30 to 40 round wrappers (store-bought wonton or gyoza wrappers)
Ground pork, 1 lb (450 g), or sub ground chicken/turkey if you want
Shrimp, 6 oz (170 g) peeled, deveined and finely chopped, optional or mixed with pork
Fresh shiitake mushrooms, 1 cup chopped (or 4 to 5 dried, rehydrated and chopped)
Water chestnuts, 1/2 cup finely chopped (or 1/2 cup jicama for crunch)
Green onions, 3 stalks, thinly sliced
Garlic, 2 cloves, minced
Cilantro, 2 tbsp chopped (stems okay)
Light soy sauce, 2 tbsp (30 ml)
Oyster sauce, 1 tbsp (15 ml)
Fish sauce, 1 tsp (5 ml), optional
Granulated sugar, 1 tsp (5 g)
White pepper, 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil, 1 tsp (5 ml)
Cornstarch, 1 tbsp (8 g)
Egg, 1 large (for binding, optional)
Vegetable oil, 1 tsp (5 ml)
Sesame seeds, 1 tsp for garnish, optional
Dipping sauce option A, Thai sweet chili sauce 1/2 cup (120 ml) store-bought
Dipping sauce option B, rice vinegar 3 tbsp (45 ml), sugar 2 tbsp (25 g), water 2 tbsp (30 ml), chopped Thai chilies 1 to 2, fish sauce 1 tsp (optional)

Directions

Get everything ready first: finely chop shiitake, water chestnuts or jicama, green onions and cilantro, mince garlic and finely chop shrimp if using, keep wonton wrappers covered so they dont dry out.
In a big bowl mix ground pork and chopped shrimp if you want them together, add the mushrooms, water chestnuts, green onions, garlic and cilantro.
Season the mix with light soy sauce 2 tbsp, oyster sauce 1 tbsp, fish sauce 1 tsp if using, sugar 1 tsp, white pepper 1/2 tsp and sesame oil 1 tsp; add cornstarch 1 tbsp and the egg if you want extra binding, and drizzle the vegetable oil 1 tsp; use your hands to mix until tacky and well combined.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each round wrapper, wet the edge with a little water, then gather or pleat the wrapper into a small purse and pinch to seal, or just fold into a neat half moon if thats easier; dont overfill or theyll burst when steamed.
Place assembled dumplings on a parchment lined steamer tray or on cabbage leaves or lightly oiled parchment so they wont stick, leave a little space between each one.
Bring water to a rolling boil in your steamer pot, set the tray in, cover and steam over medium high heat for about 6 to 8 minutes until the pork is cooked through and wrappers look slightly translucent.
While they steam make the dipping sauces: option A is store bought Thai sweet chili sauce, option B mix rice vinegar 3 tbsp, sugar 2 tbsp, water 2 tbsp, chopped Thai chilies 1 to 2 and fish sauce 1 tsp if you like; stir until sugar dissolves.
When done lift dumplings carefully to a plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onion or cilantro, serve hot with the dipping sauce you prefer.
Tips and hacks: to get a slight chew pan fry bottoms in a hot skillet with a little oil for 1 minute after steaming, you can freeze raw assembled dumplings on a tray then bag them for later, and always cover wrappers with a damp towel while you work so they dont crack.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.