Crystal Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow) Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes

Images

Serves

Makes 30 dumplings

Ingredients

  • For the filling:
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup minced bamboo shoots
  • 1 tablespoon minced green onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves
  • 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger root
  • 2 tablespoons minced pork fat or minced fatty bacon
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 4 teaspoons tapioca starch or corn starch
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper

  • For the dough:
  • 1¼ cup wheat starch
  • ¼ cup tapioca starch
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • Cabbage leaves, for lining steamers

Procedure

Plump and juicy, with chunks of shrimp barely visible through translucent dough, har gow are one of the most widely recognized dim sum classics. The wheat starch skin that encases the filling is cut with tapioca to give it elasticity. A metal tortilla press is excellent for pressing out dough balls to the desired shape and thickness for the dumpling. Line the press with wax paper to prevent sticking.

To make filling: In a medium bowl stir to combine the shrimp, bamboo shoots, green onions, cilantro, ginger and pork. In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, wine, sugar, salt, sesame oil, tapioca starch and white pepper and stir thoroughly. Pour the soy mixture over the shrimp mixture and mix well with a silicone spatula. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the dough.

To make dough: In a medium bowl add the wheat starch, tapioca starch, and salt and stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. Add the boiling water and canola oil and stir until well combined. Transfer the dough while it is still hot onto a clean surface dusted with wheat starch. Knead until smooth, adding a little more wheat starch if necessary. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Transfer warm dough to a gallon size plastic zip lock bag, to prevent the dough from drying out.

To form dumplings: Fill a small bowl with water for sealing edges. Lightly dust a clean work surface with wheat starch. Cut the dough into 4 sections and roll each section into an 8-inch long rope, using the palms of your hands. Cut each rope into 8 pieces and roll into balls. Place any dough you’re not working with in the plastic bag. Using a small rolling pin or tortilla press, flatten each ball into a circle about 3-inch diameter and about a ⅛-inch thick. Make sure to keep the finished rounds of dough stacked up inside the plastic bag so that they don't dry out before you can fill them. Take one disc out of the bag and make 7 pleats on one half of the disc. The disc should now be shaped like a bowl. Fill the bowl with a heaping teaspoon of the filling. Moisten the un-pleated side of the wrapper with a bit of water and press the edges of the dumpling together to seal. Repeat with remaining rounds.

To cook dumplings: Pour water into a wok or large pot to a depth of 3 inches and heat over medium-high heat to a strong simmer. Stack bamboo steamers in the wok or place a steamer insert into the pot. Steamer should not touch the surface of the water. Line the steamer with cabbage leaves or oiled sheets of parchment paper. Arrange dumplings in steamers at least ½ inch apart. Cover steamer and steam dumplings until filling is cooked through and wrappers are translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve: Arrange the dumplings onto warmed plates or platters and serve immediately with soy dipping sauce.

By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes

Serves

Makes 30 dumplings

Ingredients

  • For the filling:
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup minced bamboo shoots
  • 1 tablespoon minced green onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced cilantro leaves
  • 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger root
  • 2 tablespoons minced pork fat or minced fatty bacon
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 4 teaspoons tapioca starch or corn starch
  • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper

  • For the dough:
  • 1¼ cup wheat starch
  • ¼ cup tapioca starch
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • Cabbage leaves, for lining steamers

Procedure

Plump and juicy, with chunks of shrimp barely visible through translucent dough, har gow are one of the most widely recognized dim sum classics. The wheat starch skin that encases the filling is cut with tapioca to give it elasticity. A metal tortilla press is excellent for pressing out dough balls to the desired shape and thickness for the dumpling. Line the press with wax paper to prevent sticking.

To make filling: In a medium bowl stir to combine the shrimp, bamboo shoots, green onions, cilantro, ginger and pork. In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, wine, sugar, salt, sesame oil, tapioca starch and white pepper and stir thoroughly. Pour the soy mixture over the shrimp mixture and mix well with a silicone spatula. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator while you prepare the dough.

To make dough: In a medium bowl add the wheat starch, tapioca starch, and salt and stir well with a wooden spoon to combine. Add the boiling water and canola oil and stir until well combined. Transfer the dough while it is still hot onto a clean surface dusted with wheat starch. Knead until smooth, adding a little more wheat starch if necessary. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Transfer warm dough to a gallon size plastic zip lock bag, to prevent the dough from drying out.

To form dumplings: Fill a small bowl with water for sealing edges. Lightly dust a clean work surface with wheat starch. Cut the dough into 4 sections and roll each section into an 8-inch long rope, using the palms of your hands. Cut each rope into 8 pieces and roll into balls. Place any dough you’re not working with in the plastic bag. Using a small rolling pin or tortilla press, flatten each ball into a circle about 3-inch diameter and about a ⅛-inch thick. Make sure to keep the finished rounds of dough stacked up inside the plastic bag so that they don't dry out before you can fill them. Take one disc out of the bag and make 7 pleats on one half of the disc. The disc should now be shaped like a bowl. Fill the bowl with a heaping teaspoon of the filling. Moisten the un-pleated side of the wrapper with a bit of water and press the edges of the dumpling together to seal. Repeat with remaining rounds.

To cook dumplings: Pour water into a wok or large pot to a depth of 3 inches and heat over medium-high heat to a strong simmer. Stack bamboo steamers in the wok or place a steamer insert into the pot. Steamer should not touch the surface of the water. Line the steamer with cabbage leaves or oiled sheets of parchment paper. Arrange dumplings in steamers at least ½ inch apart. Cover steamer and steam dumplings until filling is cooked through and wrappers are translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.

To serve: Arrange the dumplings onto warmed plates or platters and serve immediately with soy dipping sauce.

Crystal Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow) Recipe | Sur La Table (2024)

FAQs

What are crystal dumplings made of? ›

To create the crystal dumpling, I'm using two main types of starches: wheat and tapioca. The next most important ingredient is boiling water as the water will immediately cook the starch and turn them into a moldable dough.

How do you know when shrimp dumplings are cooked? ›

  1. no need to thaw frozen dumplings.
  2. Just add them to your pot of boiling water and once they start floating, add 1 cup of cold water to slow them down.
  3. Bring the water back to a boil and as soon as they start floating to the top, add another cup of cold water.
  4. Again, when they start to float they should be done.
Jul 27, 2015

What is hargow made of? ›

Har gow
Alternative namesXia jiao, also spelled ha gau, ha gaau, ha gao, ha gow, or other variants, Vietnamese "há cảo"
Main ingredientsWheat starch, tapioca starch, shrimp, cooked pork fat, bamboo shoots, scallions, cornstarch, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings
Media: Har gow
4 more rows

How do you cook frozen Chinese shrimp dumplings? ›

The Two Easiest Ways to Cook: Boiling and Steaming

Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add as many dumplings as can fit comfortably in a single layer in the pot and cook them until they float. Let them cook an additional two to three minutes. Fish them out with a strainer, drain them, and serve.

What are the three types of dumplings? ›

Instead, we're focusing on three different subcategories within the Chinese culinary canon: Chinese dumplings, wontons, and baozi. Although all three of these fit within that culinary definition, we're setting them apart from each other due to their different preparation methods.

What do dumplings usually have in them? ›

Popular meat fillings include ground meat (usually pork, but sometimes beef or chicken), shrimp, and even fish. Popular mixtures include pork with Chinese cabbage, pork with garlic chives, pork and shrimp with vegetables, pork with spring onion, and garlic chives with scrambled eggs.

How do I know when my dumplings are cooked? ›

Boil Until Cooked Through

But hold on, they're not done just yet! Once they're floating, add about 1/3 cup of cold water to the pot. Then wait for the water to boil again. At that point, your dumplings should be cooked all the way through and ready to eat.

How long do you need to boil dumplings? ›

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook dumplings in batches of about eight until they are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

Can you overcook dumplings? ›

Yes, dumplings that are overcooked will begin to fall apart and disintegrate into the soup, so try to stick to the cooking time. I always use a timer.

What does har gow mean in English? ›

Noun. har gow (plural har gow) A type of traditional Cantonese shrimp dumpling; the outer skin is translucent and the filling is made of shrimp.

What is the difference between hargow and dumplings? ›

Har Gow (虾饺)

Unlike the artsy translation of wonton, the English translation of “har gow” is quite literal: it means “shrimp dumpling.” These Cantonese dumplings are not made with a flour wrapper; but instead with various starches, such as extracted wheat starch, rice starch, or tapioca starch.

What is har gow in Chinese food? ›

Har gau, also known as har gow, are a type of Chinese dumpling traditionally served as dim sum. Tong Chee Hwee uses prawn in this stunning steamed dumpling recipe, although shrimp are also commonly used.

How do you make frozen dumplings more flavorful? ›

Rather than simply steam or pan-fry the dumplings, I stir-fried them in a hot skillet with sliced bell peppers and scallions, drizzled in some chili crunch and soy sauce, and now can no longer look back. It was so delicious! Frozen dumplings are a true lifesaver on the busiest nights when you're at your most tired.

Can I just fry frozen dumplings? ›

Pan fry method

Heat the oil in the non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Carefully place the frozen dumplings in a single layer in the hot frying pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the bottom of the dumplings are golden brown. Turn once and cook on another side for another minute.

Can you just pan-fry frozen dumplings? ›

How to pan-fry frozen dumplings. In a nonstick pan over medium-high heat, add ½ cup of water and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place the frozen potstickers flat side-down and cover the pan with a lid for 8 to 12 minutes, until all the water has evaporated and the flat side of each potsticker is golden.

What are Chinese steamed dumplings made of? ›

Jiaozi (pronounced "jow-zee") are perhaps the most common type of Chinese dumpling. Crescent-shaped and formed with an opaque wrapper made from wheat dough, jiaozi are usually filled with ground pork, cabbage, and scallions, and served with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.

What are potstickers dumplings made of? ›

These pot stickers made with homemade dough and filled with ground pork, ginger, garlic, and cabbage are so versatile — you can fill them with anything you want and as full as you want. The dumplings are fried and steamed, then fried again until golden and perfectly crispy on the bottom for a truly unique dumpling.

Why are Chinese dumplings so good? ›

Texture: Dumplings can have a satisfying chewy or tender texture, depending on how they are cooked and the type of dough used. This texture can be enjoyable to eat and provide a pleasant mouthfeel. Convenience: Dumplings are often easy to make and can be served as a snack, appetizer, or meal, maki.

What are Korean dumplings made of? ›

Chinese bao, Turkish or Uzbeki manti, fried Japanese gyoza, are all called mandu in Korea. This recipe is a classic Korean version with thin wheat wrappers and a filling of ground pork, tofu, garlic, garlic chives, and onions, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

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