These savoury open-faced dumplings are a delightful appetizer to enjoy with a glass of chilled white wine. The Canadian Living Test Kitchen and the cohosts of "Canadian Living Cooks" invite you to sample this tempting and surprisingly easy Chinese specialty from the Canadian Living Cooks cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 lb (500 g) medium shrimp
2 oz (60 g) ground pork
1 egg white
1 tbsp (15 mL) Chinese cooking wine or sherry
1 tbsp (15 mL) sesame oil
2 tsp (10 mL) grated gingerroot
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) white pepper
1 pkg (7 oz/200 g) frozen crabmeat, thawed
1/2 cup (125 mL) drained canned water chestnuts, finely diced
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh coriander
2 green onions, minced
46 very thin square wonton wrappers
46 fresh or frozen peas
10 large spinach leaves

Directions:
Click here for the step-by-step directions with images.

1. Peel and devein shrimp; transfer to food processor. Add pork, egg white, wine, oil, ginger, salt and pepper; pulse just until combined, scraping down side of bowl as necessary. Scrape into large bowl.

2. Drain crabmeat in sieve, pressing to remove as much liquid as possible; remove any cartilage. Add crabmeat to shrimp mixture along with water chestnuts, coriander and onions; stir gently to combine without breaking up crab.

3. Place 4 wonton wrappers on work surface, keeping remainder covered with damp cloth to prevent drying out; brush with water. Place 1 tbsp (15 mL) crab mixture on centre of each; gather around filling, pressing 4 sides to make petal effect and leaving 1-inch (2.5 cm) opening at top.

4. Holding dumpling between finger and thumb, squeeze to form "waist"; tap on counter to flatten bottom. Place 1 pea in centre of each top opening. Repeat with remaining ingredients. (Make-ahead: Transfer to cornstarch-dusted rimmed baking sheet; cover with damp towel and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Or freeze until firm; layer between waxed paper in airtight container and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

5. In wok or steamer, bring water to boil. Line 2 steamer trays with spinach leaves or waxed paper. Arrange sui mai, without touching, in single layer on spinach.

6. Arrange stacked steamer trays over wok; cover and steam for 5 minutes. Reverse trays and steam until sui mai are firm and pink in centre, about 5 minutes. Repeat steaming for any remaining sui mai. Serve in steamer tray or line platter with spinach and top with sui mai.

Makes 46 pieces.

Per piece: about 42 cal, 3 g pro, 1 g total fat (trace sat. fat), 5 g carb, trace fibre, 14 mg chol, 132 mg sodium. % RDI: 1% calcium, 4% iron, 1% vit A, 4% folate.