One-Pan Juicy Shumai

Put the ground meat straight from the package into the frying pan. Since you don't use a bowl, there are fewer dishes to wash.

Add the seasonings and cooking sake directly. The cooking sake adds umami while softening the gamey smell of the meat.

Instead of onion, add water to make up for the moisture. Even with few added ingredients, it turns out juicy.

Next, add the potato starch. When heated, it absorbs moisture and gels, coating the surface and gaps of the meat to lock in the juices for a plump, juicy texture.

Knead thoroughly until the seasonings are evenly blended and the ground meat turns pale. The proteins bind together and become stickier, so it holds its shape and the juices are less likely to run out.

Once it looks right, divide the mixture into 10-12 portions and lightly roll them into balls.

Shumai wrappers are hard to pick up one at a time, so give them a light twist to fan them out and make them easier to grab.

Place a wrapper on top of each meatball and pinch it so the wrapper sticks to the meat. Press down lightly at the end and it easily takes the shape of a shumai. No difficult wrapping technique needed at all.

Unlike typical shumai, arrange them in the pan with the meat side down and sear the surface over medium heat until browned. This saves you the trouble of rearranging them, keeps the wrappers from peeling off, and makes them look more appetizing.

Once they are browned, space them out a little so the wrappers don't stick together during steam-frying. Add water, lower the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and steam-fry for about 3-5 minutes, keeping an eye on them.

If the water runs out partway through, add 1 tablespoon at a time to adjust.

They are done once the center of the meat has been heated to 75°C for at least 1 minute (or the equivalent). Finally, cook off the excess moisture over medium heat, plate them, and enjoy with ponzu, vinegar soy sauce, or mustard as desired.