Cassie's Kitchen/Cantonese/Dim Sum

虾饺Har Gow

Crystal Shrimp Dumplings

"The ultimate test of a dim sum chef. Count the pleats — 7-10 is amateur, 13+ is mastery."

90Minutes
20Dumplings
5/5Difficulty

The Origin

The Benchmark of Dim Sum

Har gow emerged in Guangzhou in the early 20th century and quickly became the standard by which dim sum restaurants are judged. The translucent wrapper must be thin enough to see the pink shrimp inside, yet strong enough to hold without tearing.

The pleats — always on one side — are a point of pride. Master chefs aim for 13 pleats, a number associated with good fortune. Anything less and you're just making dumplings.

"The wrapper should be like a bride's veil — beautiful, delicate, revealing just enough."

The Ingredients

The Wrapper (Hardest Part)

Wheat Starch is Essential
  • 1 cupWheat starch (澄粉 chéng fěn)NOT flour — this is what makes it translucent
  • ¼ cupTapioca starch
  • ¾ cupBoiling water
  • 1 tbspVegetable oil

The Filling

  • 300gShrimp, peeled, deveined
  • 50gPork fat or bacon, finely minced
  • 50gBamboo shoots, finely diced
  • 1 tspSesame oil
  • ½ tspSugar
  • ½ tspSalt
  • ¼ tspWhite pepper
  • 1 tbspCornstarch

The Method

01

Make the Filling

1

Roughly chop half the shrimp. Leave the other half in larger pieces for texture.

2

Combine all filling ingredients. Mix until slightly sticky. Chill 30 minutes.

02

Make the Wrapper Dough

3

Combine wheat starch and tapioca starch in a bowl.

4

Pour in boiling water. Stir quickly with chopsticks until shaggy.

5

Add oil. Knead (carefully — it's hot!) until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with damp towel.

Temperature Critical

Work with warm dough. Cold dough cracks. Keep covered at ALL times — it dries out in seconds.

03

Shape

6

Roll dough into a log. Cut into 20 pieces. Keep covered.

7

Oil a cleaver or tortilla press. Press each piece into a thin circle, about 3 inches.

8

Place filling in center. Pleat one edge (aim for 10-13 pleats). Press to seal into a crescent.

04

Steam

9

Line steamer with oiled parchment or cabbage. Arrange har gow with space between.

10

Steam over high heat for 6-8 minutes until translucent and shrimp is pink.

11

Serve immediately. These don't wait well — the wrapper toughens as it cools.

Pro Tips

Freshness is Everything

Use the freshest shrimp possible. Frozen works, but fresh is noticeably better.

The Fat Matters

Pork fat keeps filling juicy. Vegetarian? Use extra sesame oil and a touch of mayo.

Practice Pleating

Use Play-Doh to practice. The pleating motion takes time to master.