Siomai

I don't know you guys, i think since cooking is similar to chemistry in some ways, i might turn this blog into an experiment blog.  I am usually experimenting with either chemicals, or different types of flavor for food. 

Let me just give you one of my experiments today: siomai.

For those of you who are unaware, siomai is a chinese pork dumpling.  (Well you can put seafood in as well..) anyway, yesterday, chef taught us how to prepare this excellent dish. It looked something like this:

Actually, it tastes even better than it looks.  It was amazing.  Flavors were good and strong.  I liked it so much. I brought home some and my parents liked it too.

So i wanted to try it again. After all, the recipe wasnt so difficult. 

Yesterday i bought some pork for preparing this. 

This afternoon i prepared it by myself.

Unfortunately, the taste was not so good.

So trial 1 of siomai failed.

There are only two possible reasons:

1. The pork was already old

2. I put in too much shitake mushroom

I based my first postulate on my mom's suggestion, who is a good cook.  Also, the way the pork tastes, based on my own judgement... The pork indeed tastes old.  It didnt taste so good.  It tastes a bit expired.  I wasnt sure though.

The mushroom idea came from mom.  For me i dont think it was too much, but it is still a possibility.  

Therefore in the next trial, i would like to buy a fresher pork to use, and less mushroom.  Then lets see if this will change the flavor.  Hopefully i get it next time.

Although not good tasting, i still took a photo of my own siomai first trial which is still uncooked. 

It looked something like this.  It is still raw (i didnt put it in the steamer anymore, because the first few siomais didnt taste well. ) anyway i took the photo for remembrance's sake. 

Next trial, i hope to do better.  

The taste was bad but not so bad... It was just the meat taste was not so good. 

I want that same taste of siomai as the chef did! I wanna be a good chef!!! :)