Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe: Crispy, Juicy Mexican Pork

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Slow cooker pork carnitas is the easiest path to the best tacos of your life: a pork shoulder rubbed with cumin and oregano, slow-cooked in orange and lime juice until it falls apart, then crisped in a hot pan until the edges turn golden and crackly. Juicy inside, crispy outside — that contrast is the whole point. The slow cooker does the hard work. Eight hours on low turns a tough shoulder meltingly tender, and the citrus in the cooking liquid keeps the pork bright instead of heavy. The real magic happens at the end: shred the pork, spread it in a screaming-hot skillet with a splash of its own cooking liquid, and let it sit undisturbed until the edges char. Do not skip that step — crisping is what makes carnitas carnitas. Crispy edges, juicy center — carnitas night done right. Recipe Info Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 8 hours (slow cooker, low) Total time: 8 hours 30 minutes Servings: 8 Calories: ~520 kcal per serving Pork, citrus and spice — carnitas starts h...
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Siomay Bandung Recipe: Steamed Fish Dumplings with Peanut Sauce

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Siomay Bandung is Indonesia's most beloved street snack: tender steamed fish dumplings, cabbage, potato, and egg, all drowned in a thick, sweet-savory peanut sauce with a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of sweet soy. Vendors sell it from carts across Bandung, and once you taste the combination — soft, bouncy dumplings against that rich, nutty sauce — you will understand why.

This home version keeps the Bandung spirit intact: a simple fish paste made with tapioca flour for that characteristic springy bite, steamed until just cooked, and a peanut sauce blended smooth with garlic, shallots, and palm sugar. It takes a little assembly, but every component is simple, and the result feeds a crowd happily.

A plate of Siomay Bandung — steamed fish dumplings with cabbage, potato and egg, covered in thick peanut sauce.

Bandung's beloved street snack, steaming and saucy.

Recipe Info

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 1 hour
  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Calories: approx. 480 kcal per serving
Siomay Bandung ingredients on a wooden table — white fish fillet, tapioca flour, peanuts, garlic, shallots, cabbage, potatoes, eggs, and lime.

Fish, tapioca and peanuts — the Siomay trinity.

Ingredients

  • For the fish dumplings:
  • 500 g (1.1 lb) white fish fillet (Spanish mackerel / tenggiri, or cod), skinless
  • 150 g (1 cup) tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
  • 1 egg white
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
  • 60 ml (4 tbsp) ice-cold water
  • To steam alongside:
  • 4 cabbage leaves, halved
  • 300 g (about 2 medium) potatoes, peeled and halved
  • 2 eggs, hard-boiled and halved
  • For the peanut sauce:
  • 200 g (1½ cups) roasted peanuts, skins removed
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 shallots, peeled
  • 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) warm water, plus more as needed
  • To serve:
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • Chili sauce or sliced bird's eye chilies, to taste
  • Extra sweet soy sauce, to drizzle
Close-up of a steamed fish dumpling cut open, showing tender fish filling under glossy peanut sauce.

Tender, bouncy dumplings under a thick, nutty sauce.

Instructions

  1. Make the fish paste. Cut the fish into chunks and process in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the tapioca flour, egg white, garlic, spring onions, salt, white pepper, sesame oil (if using), and ice-cold water. Beat with a spoon for 2–3 minutes until sticky and springy — this is what gives siomay its bounce.
  2. Shape the dumplings. With wet hands, shape the paste into about 16 oval dumplings, each roughly the size of a golf ball. Lightly oil your hands again between dumplings so the paste does not stick.
  3. Prepare the steamer. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and line a steamer basket with parchment paper or cabbage leaves. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer with space between them, and place the potatoes in a second tier or alongside.
  4. Steam everything. Steam the dumplings for 15–20 minutes, until firm, opaque, and springy to the touch. In the last 5 minutes, add the cabbage leaves to the steamer so they wilt but keep a little bite. The potatoes need 20–25 minutes total, until tender when pierced.
  5. Make the peanut sauce. While everything steams, blend the roasted peanuts, garlic, and shallots with the sweet soy sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, salt, and warm water until smooth. Add water a tablespoon at a time until the sauce is thick but pourable — it should coat a spoon heavily, like thick pancake batter.
  6. Warm the sauce. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and warm over low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until it just simmers and thickens slightly. Do not let it boil hard, or the oil may separate.
  7. Assemble and serve. Arrange dumplings, cabbage, potatoes, and halved eggs on plates. Ladle the hot peanut sauce generously over everything, drizzle with extra sweet soy sauce, and serve with lime wedges and chili on the side. Eat while hot.

Tips & Variations

  • Keep the fish cold: Cold fish and ice water make a springier paste. If the mixture warms up while you work, chill it in the fridge for 15 minutes before shaping.
  • Do not over-process: Pulse the fish just until smooth. Over-blending heats the paste and can make the dumplings tough instead of bouncy.
  • Taste the paste first: Steam one test dumpling for 5 minutes and taste it before shaping the rest — adjust salt and pepper now, not after all 16 are made.
  • Tofu and pare bonus: Classic Bandung vendors also stuff tofu puffs and bitter melon (pare) with the same fish paste. Stuff, steam for the same time, and add them to the plate for the full cart experience.
  • Smoother sauce trick: For a silkier sauce, blend the peanuts first on their own until almost a butter, then add the remaining ingredients. A little extra warm water fixes any thickness.
  • Make-ahead: Steamed dumplings keep in the fridge for 2 days and freeze well for a month. Re-steam from frozen for 10–12 minutes; make the sauce fresh.
  • Heat control: The peanut sauce as written is mild. Serve sliced bird's eye chilies or sambal on the side so each person can set their own heat level.

Nutrition Note

At roughly 480 kcal per serving, siomay is a satisfying, protein-rich meal: the fish provides lean protein and omega-3 fats, the steamed cabbage and potato add fiber and potassium, and the peanut sauce contributes healthy fats, vitamin E, and plant protein. Because it is steamed rather than fried, the dumplings stay light, though the peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce do add sugar and sodium — go lighter on the extra kecap drizzle if you are watching either. A squeeze of lime not only brightens the flavor, it also helps your body absorb iron from the meal.

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FAQ

Can I use a different fish?
Yes — any firm white fish works, including cod, haddock, or snapper. Spanish mackerel (tenggiri) is traditional for its flavor and springy texture, but a mix of half fish and half peeled shrimp is also excellent.

Why are my dumplings rubbery?
Usually too much tapioca flour or over-steaming. Stick to the 500 g fish to 150 g tapioca ratio, and pull the dumplings as soon as they are firm and opaque — 15–20 minutes is enough.

Can I make siomay without a steamer?
Yes. Place a heatproof plate on an inverted bowl inside a large pot with 2–3 cm of boiling water, cover tightly with a lid, and steam the same way. A metal colander over a pot with a lid works too.

How long does the peanut sauce keep?
Up to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. It thickens when cold — loosen it with a splash of warm water and reheat gently, stirring, before serving.

Is siomay gluten-free?
The dumplings themselves are gluten-free, but sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) usually contains wheat. Swap in tamari plus a teaspoon of sugar for a gluten-free version, and check your chili sauce label.

Soft dumplings, crisp cabbage, and that thick, nutty peanut sauce — siomay Bandung is street food worth making at home. Did you add tofu puffs, or keep it classic? Leave a comment below and tell us how your siomay turned out!

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