Dim Sum Recipe

Har Gow

Steamed shrimp dumplings with translucent starch wrappers.

Recipe at a glance

Serves / makesMakes 24
Time1 hour 15 minutes
Cuisine or formatDim Sum
UseHome cooking and menu literacy

Ingredients

  • 8 oz shrimp, chopped
  • 1 tsp cornstarch for filling
  • 1 tsp neutral oil
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • White pepper
  • 1 cup wheat starch
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 3/4 cup boiling water
  • 1 tsp oil for dough

Method

  1. Mix shrimp with cornstarch, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.
  2. Combine starches and stir in boiling water.
  3. Knead in oil once cool enough.
  4. Roll thin wrappers.
  5. Fill and pleat dumplings.
  6. Steam 5–6 minutes.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Har gow is a dim sum benchmark.
  • Contains shellfish.
  • The wrapper should be translucent, thin, and not gummy.

Variations and substitutions

  • Adjust salt, sugar, chile, and vinegar gradually rather than changing all seasonings at once.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, wrappers, broth, cooking wine, and shared equipment.
  • When adapting the dish, preserve the core technique and flavor structure that make it recognizable on a menu.

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