Siomay Bandung
In this recipe
About this recipe
Siomay Bandung is steamed fish dumplings served with potato, tofu, cabbage, egg, and a sweet-spicy peanut sauce finished with lime and kecap manis.
Fresh mackerel (tenggiri) keeps the dumplings sweet and clean. Older fish tastes muddy and spoils the batch.
Steam gently and serve the sauce thick. This is snack food that can stand in for lunch.
Prep & cook time
- Prep35 minutes
- Cook25 minutes
- Total60 minutes
- Servings4 servings
- LevelMedium
Tools you need
- Food processor
- Steamer
- Mixing bowl
- Knife
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh ground mackerel (tenggiri)
- 100 g tapioca starch
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Firm tofu, potato halves, cabbage leaves, hard-boiled eggs, for steaming alongside
- Peanut sauce, sweet soy sauce, and lime, for serving
Directions
- Mix fish, tapioca, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper until sticky and cohesive.
- Shape into ovals or stuff some mixture into hollowed tofu.
- Arrange dumplings, potato, cabbage, and eggs in a steamer.
- Steam over boiling water until the dumplings are cooked through and springy, 15–20 minutes.
- Warm or loosen peanut sauce to a thick pourable texture.
- Plate siomay and sides. Spoon sauce, drizzle kecap manis, and squeeze lime.
Kitchen tips
- Chill the mixture if it feels soft and hard to shape.
- Do not over-steam or the texture turns rubbery.
- Offer mild sauce for children.
- Leftover steamed siomay can be briefly pan-fried the next day.
Serve with
- Peanut sauce
- Sweet soy sauce
- Lime
- Kerupuk
How to store
Steamed siomay keeps 2 days refrigerated. Sauce keeps 4 days. Reheat by steaming.
Common mistakes
- Using fish that is not fresh.
- A thin, watery peanut sauce.
- Skipping lime, which balances the richness.