Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings)

Name: Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings)
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 400g Shrimp, peeled and deveined, roughly chopped; 80g Bamboo Shoots, finely diced; 50g Pork Back Fat, finely diced; 2 tsp Cornstarch; 1 tsp Sugar; 1/2 tsp Salt, fine; 1/4 tsp White Pepper; 1 tsp Sesame Oil; 1 tsp Shaoxing Wine; 1 tsp Ginger, fresh, finely grated; 1 tbsp Scallion, white part, finely chopped; 160g Wheat Starch, not wheat flour; 40g Tapioca Starch; 1/4 tsp Salt, fine; 180ml Water, boiling; 1 tbsp Lard, or neutral oil; 1 tsp Neutral Oil, for brushing; Some Napa Cabbage Leaves, or parchment paper, for lining the steamer

Har Gow are classic Cantonese shrimp dumplings with delicate, translucent wrappers and a juicy, subtly seasoned shrimp filling. Lightly pleated and steamed on a bed of cabbage, they emerge glossy and tender — perfect as part of a dim sum spread or a special appetizer.

Har Gow are classic Cantonese shrimp dumplings with delicate, translucent wrappers and a juicy, subtly seasoned shrimp filling. Li... Show more

Traditional Chinese Recipe

Health Grade

C+ · Balanced

Rating

4.1

Time

1 hr

Price

3,19 €

Calories

497 kcal

low calorie

low sugar

potluck

chinese

Method

Prep the filling

Peel and devein the Shrimp, pat it dry, and roughly chop it into small pieces. Finely dice the Bamboo Shoots and the Pork Back Fat; if the fat has a tough rind, trim it away first. Peel the Ginger and grate it finely, then finely chop the white part of the Scallion. Keep everything cold while you work so the filling stays fresh and bouncy.

Mix the filling

In a bowl, combine the shrimp, bamboo shoots, pork fat, Cornstarch, Sugar, Salt (fine), White Pepper, Sesame Oil, Shaoxing Wine, the grated ginger, and the chopped scallion. Stir vigorously in one direction for 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture turns tacky, glossy, and starts to hold together. Cover it and let it stand for 10 minutes while you make the dough, so the filling firms up a little.

Make the dough

Set Wheat Starch, Tapioca Starch, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl. Pour in the boiling Water all at once and stir immediately with chopsticks or a sturdy spoon until the mixture forms shaggy clumps. Knead in the Lard while the dough is still hot, then press and fold it for 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic.

Shape the dumplings

Divide the warm dough into about 20 equal pieces and keep the pieces covered with a damp towel. Roll one piece at a time into a ball, then flatten it into a thin round about 3 to 4 inches wide, with the center a little thinner than the edges. Spoon in about 1 teaspoon of filling, fold the wrapper in half, and pleat one side as you pinch it shut. Set each dumpling on a parchment-lined tray while you finish the rest.

Steam the dumplings

Rinse and pat dry the Napa Cabbage Leaves, then brush a steamer basket with Neutral Oil and line it with the leaves so the dumplings don’t stick. Bring the water in the steamer to a strong boil. Arrange the dumplings in a single layer with a little space between them, pleated side up, cover, and steam for 8 minutes until the wrappers turn translucent and the filling looks opaque and firm.