Thai food recipes: Chor muang savoey (steamed flower-shaped dumplings)

Thai steamed dumplings, chor muang, are beautifully presented in the shape of a flower. The rich purple/indigo colouring comes from the butterfly pea flower, known in Thai as anchan. Learn how to make this tasty Thai treat courtesy of Chanadda Restaurant at Katathani Phuket Beach Resort. Chanadda Restaurant specialises in Royal Thai cuisine and uses the name chor muang savoey to recognise the heritage of this dish which is one of the most popular appetisers on their menu.

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Chor muang savoey recipe

Ingredients

For the chicken filling

• ½ cup minced chicken
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp herbs (coriander root, garlic, pepper)
• 1 tbsp onion
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce

For the dough/flour mixture

• ½ cup butterfly pea water (or food colouring water)
• ½ cup rice flour
• 1 tbsp glutinous rice flour
• 1 tbsp tapioca flour
• 2 tsp arrowroot starch
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp coconut milk

Special equipment

Brass tweezers (to shape the dough)

Method

PART 1: Cooking the chicken filling 

• 1. In a frying pan, add vegetable oil on medium heat.
• 2. Add herbs (coriander root, garlic, pepper). Stir-fry until you get a fragrant aroma.
• 3. Add minced chicken.
• 4. Followed by the onions.
• 5. Season with fish sauce, sugar and palm sugar.
• 6. Use a spatula and break up the chicken into smaller pieces during frying, until cooked.

• 7. The filling should not be too moist, as it is difficult to wrap it into the dough later.
• 8. Put on a dish and set aside for 10 minutes.

PART 2: Preparing the dough

• 1. Mix all the flour ingredients together (rice flour, glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour and arrowroot starch).
• 2. Add the vegetable oil.
• 3. Add the coconut milk, followed by the butterfly pea water (or purple food colouring).

• 4. Heat the oil over low heat in a small pan.

• 5. Mix well until there are no flour lumps and it thickens.

• 6. Set aside on a plate with a little bit of rice flour and tapioca flour for 10 minutes.

PART 3: Chor muang savoey

• 1. Dip your fingers into the tapioca flour first, prior to picking up the filling.
• 2. Shape dough to a round disc.
• 3. Add the chicken filling into the centre, then roll it into a ball.
• 4. We will then use the tweezers to make a flower shape (dust with some tapioca flour in between crimps, otherwise it will stick onto the tweezers).

• 5. Prepare a steamer on high heat, then place the dough in it. Steam the dumplings for 10 minutes.
• 6. After they are done, brush the surface of the dumplings with a little bit of vegetable oil to give it a little shine.
• 7. Scoop the dumplings into a serving plate and serve with vegetables, chili and coriander.

To sample this dish and many more when you are next in Thailand, visit Chanadda Restaurant, Katathani Phuket Beach Resort.

We hope you enjoy trying out our Stay At Home Thai Style activities. If you have any photos or videos of you or your family trying out these recipes, we’d love to see them. Please share with us on Facebook or Instagram and let’s spread some Thai-style sanuk (fun)!