Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 200 g shrimp, peeled, deveined, and dried thoroughly
- 100 g ground chicken, preferably thigh meat
- 40 g bamboo shoots, finely minced
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml shaoxing wine
- 10 ml sesame oil
- 5 g white sugar
- 3 g salt
- 1 g white pepper
- 10 g cornstarch
Wrapper Dough
- 100 g wheat starch
- 50 g tapioca starch
- 150 ml boiling water, at a rolling boil
- 10 ml vegetable oil, neutral oil like canola or peanut
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 46 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 110 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 17 mg
- Potassium
- 59 mg
- Calcium
- 8 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 6 mg
- Phosphorus
- 31 mg
- Zinc
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 18 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Roughly chop half of the shrimp into small, distinct chunks, and finely mince the remaining half until it forms a sticky paste.
Combine the chopped shrimp, shrimp paste, ground chicken, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, salt, white pepper, and cornstarch in a mixing bowl.
Stir the filling mixture rapidly and continuously in one direction until it becomes very sticky, springy, and thoroughly bound together.
Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the filling to allow the flavors to meld and the mixture to firm up.
In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the wheat starch and tapioca starch until evenly combined.
Pour the rapidly boiling water directly over the starches, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon immediately to hydrate the flours evenly.
Once the dough is cool enough to handle, add the vegetable oil and knead it by hand on a clean surface until smooth, white, and pliable.
Cover the kneaded dough with a damp towel and allow it to rest. Keep it covered at all times when not actively shaping.
Roll the dough into a long cylinder and divide it into 24 equal pieces. Keep them under the damp towel.
Take one piece of dough and press it flat using the lightly oiled side of a cleaver or flat scraper against the work surface, creating a thin circle about 8 centimeters in diameter.
Place approximately 15 grams of the chilled filling into the center of the dough wrapper.
Fold the dough into a half-moon shape, pleating the front edge while pressing it against the flat back edge to seal the dumpling completely.
Line a bamboo steamer with perforated parchment paper to prevent sticking, and arrange the dumplings inside with space between each.
Steam the dumplings over rapidly boiling water until the wrappers become beautifully translucent and the internal temperature of the filling reaches 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
Remove the steamer from the heat and serve immediately while the wrappers are soft and pliable.
Chef's Notes
- Drying the shrimp thoroughly before chopping is critical. Any excess moisture will dilute the marinade and ruin the bouncy, crisp texture characteristic of excellent dim sum.
- Wheat starch is entirely different from wheat flour. It has had the gluten removed and is responsible for the distinct crystalline translucency of har gow wrappers.
- When pleating har gow, a traditional standard of excellence dictates having at least nine to thirteen delicate pleats. Take your time, and do not overfill if you are a beginner.
- Use the flat blade of a heavy cleaver to press the dough rather than a rolling pin. The pressure creates a thinner, more consistent wrapper edge while leaving a slightly thicker center to support the filling.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Store uncooked dumplings in an airtight container lined with parchment paper.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze uncooked on a tray, then transfer to a sealed container. Steam directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the cooking time.
Reheating: Steam refrigerated dumplings for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Dough tears when attempting to fold or pleat
Cause: Water was not hot enough to gelatinize the starch, or the dough has dried out from air exposure
Fix: Knead a few drops of boiling water back into the dough to restore pliability
Prevention: Ensure water is at a rolling boil when poured, and always keep resting dough covered with a damp towel
Dumpling wrappers stick to the steamer and tear upon removal
Cause: Direct contact with bamboo or insufficient lubrication
Fix: Cannot be fixed once stuck. Use a very thin offset spatula and lift carefully from the exact bottom.
Prevention: Always use lightly oiled parchment paper liners or thinly sliced carrots underneath the dumplings
Filling is mushy instead of bouncy
Cause: Shrimp was wet before mixing, or mixture was not beaten in one direction long enough
Fix: Cannot be fixed after cooking
Prevention: Pat shrimp completely dry with paper towels before chopping, and beat the mixture vigorously until a sticky protein structure forms
Cultural Context
Har gow is universally recognized as the ultimate test of a dim sum chef's technical proficiency. Originating in Guangzhou, its perfectly pleated, translucent wrapper requires immense precision to execute. While strictly traditional har gow relies entirely on shrimp and pork fat, this hybrid version blends the delicate elegance of the crystal wrapper with the savory comfort of minced chicken, creating an accessible yet highly refined appetizer.
