A year ago I attempted to make har gow and failed miserably. It might have been because I used wheat flour instead of wheat starch and the resulting dough was so sticky that I had to throw the “ball of glue” away. The experience was enough to turn me away from trying to make them for a very long time. That is until I had a monumental craving for these dumplings. Cravings so intense that I had har-gau for lunch, FIVE straight days. I would go to one of the nearby yum cha places and order take-away. By the third day it was not only getting expensive – it was also getting slightly embarrassing to arrive at the restaurant and have the waiter smile knowingly, and then signal the lady in the dumpling cart to bring the har gow for me.
By the fourth day I felt like an addict trying to hide a bad craving. My husband called at 11:30 asking whether I wanted to have Japanese for lunch. My heart being set on the dumplings, “I can’t, I have an important meeting that I need to prepare for.” I told him.
By the fifth day I had to admit that things were getting out of hand and vowed to try my hand at making them again.
So here’s the result. If you are thinking of having a go at making these crystal prawn dumplings, this is a great place to start. This version of har gow is delicious – just like the ones in the yum cha place.
Here’s the thing – after having them for five days straight and then making them on my own on the sixth day, I’ve suddenly gotten over my craving.
My husband however, is a different story.
He can’t get enough of them.
The recipe I’ve used is adapted from Eileen Yin Fei Lo’s book, Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking. The dough was much easier to make than I remembered, thanks to the use of a stand mixer (and use of the right ingredients, I might add).
To make the dough, start with mixing tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour) and wheat starch (remember, it’s different from wheat flour), and a pinch of salt together. Traditionally, boiling water is added and the dough is mixed with chopped sticks but I find using a stand mixer (use the dough hook) makes everything easier to incorporate. Finally, to give the dough some sheen, canola oil is added and the dough is kneaded a few minutes. To form the wrappers, the dough is cut into four equal portions. While you work with one portion of the dough, keep the remaining dough covered in some plastic to make it easier to work with.
The conventional way to shape the dough is to use the edge of an oiled cleaver to form a circle, but again I found it easier to flatten the piece of dough in between two sheets of oiled plastic using a rolling pin. I also used a cookie cutter to cut the dough.
Shaping the dumplings was a different story. I tried my hand at pleating them like in the restaurants but quickly gave up and thought I would work on that another time. Instead, I dressed the dumplings up instead with a mixture of soy sauce, XO sauce and spring onions.
Prawn Dumplings (Har Gow) with XO Sauce
Adapted from Mastering the Art of Chinese Cooking Eileen Yin Fei Lo
For the dough
- 150 grams wheat starch
- 85 grams tapioca flour
- pinch of salt
- 265 ml boiling water
- 25 ml grapeseed or canola oil
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, mix the wheat starch, tapioca flour and salt together. Insert the dough hook and turn to the lowest setting. Slowly add the boiling water and then the oil. Turn the speed to medium and continue to mix until the dough comes together into a ball. Remove the dough, knead it a few times until you get a smooth ball and cut it into four equal pieces and place these in a plastic sandwich bag to rest.
- Take one of the pieces and roll it into a log around 20 cm long. Cut this into 8 equal parts place the pieces, except for the one you are going to work with back into the sandwhich bag.
- Get two sheets of plastic (you can use another sandwich bag, cut in half for it) and lightly oil the bags. Put the piece of dough in the middle of the two bags and press down on the dough with the palm of your hand to flatten.
- Take a rolling pin and roll out the dough until around 5 cm in diameter. Cut the dough using a round cookie cutter and place a spoonful of the prawn mixture in the middle of the dough. Fold the dough in half and press the edges together to seal.
For the prawn filling
- 50 grams pork fat
- 250 grams peeled and deveined
- 30 grams bamboo shoots, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 egg white
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons spring onions, white part only, chopped
- pinch of salt and white pepper to taste
- Place the pork in a small pot and cover with water. Boil for 20 minutes. Cool, then finely chop and set aside.
- Finely chop the prawns and place in a bowl with the pork fat, bamboo shoots, tapioca starch, egg white, oyster sauce, sugar, spring onions and salt and pepper.
- Using your hands, mix the prawn mixture well and cover with some cling wrap. Allow to marinate at least an hour in the refrigerator.
- Use the prawn mixture as per instructions above.
- Steam the dumplings for six minutes over high heat.
- Serve immediately with a mixture of XO Sauce, soy sauce, and spring onions.
Is there a substitute for Wheat starch? Where can I find them? Looks yummy!!!! Please email: missmykahlee@yahoo.com Thanks! No, this is not spam, just a hungry gal! 😉
i think it’s not translucent yet…….
Maybe u should reduce the amount of tapioca flour…..
combine the with very boiling water, it’s may works
I am going through a total dumpling fest myself. I think I’ve eaten them about 7 days in a row. I’ve used up all the ones I had in my freezer so it’s time to make some more 😛
Wow those dumplings are so beautiful, you made me really hungry.
We’re off into Dublin in search of good dumplings because your pics got us craving them too! Might also swing by the asian market to get ingredients and try them ourselves
How to cure a dumpling addiction? I think your post should be titled how to get hooked further on dumplings… Well done on making your own pastry, I’m yet to attemp this for Asian dumplings.
You are too funny! Maybe it’s because I can totally relate to you. I can get mildly obsessive about food and when I want it, I have to have it. I can see why with these dumplings. I’ve been wanting to make my own siopao but I have no idea where to start.
These dumplings look pillowy light and I love them drenched in sauce in the second picture.
I’ll never cure my dumpling addiction, Trissa, I’ll just keep adding to it! 🙂
Oh gawd, those look so good. Next time i need to cure my dumpling addiction i’m coming over to your house. I love that you made the dough from scratch too. Beautiful.
You have my sympathies. Once I spent three days making a sauce that I had to pour down the kitchen sink.
I have that book too! The 4-5 things I’ve tried have all been excellent but I’ve just been focused on other things and forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder. This is one of my favorite dimsum dishes, and like your husband, I think tasting it homemade will only increase the addiction 8).
LOOKS lovely! Have you made your own XO sauce?
These look stunning. I have yet to try making my own gow gee dough, and lol, I often find that after you’ve spent hours making something you tend to “eat it with your eyes” and don’t have the ravenous appetite for it by the time it’s cooked!
Beautiful, transculent har gow wrappers! I also used a rolling pin and plastic film to roll out the pastry when making the toppings of pineapple buns (菠蘿包), don’t master the traditional skill of shaping thin dough with an oiled cleaver yet.
This looks absolutely appetising! I love the use of XO sauce!
I have yet to try make this type of dough successfully. It looks wonderful.
whoa that looks really good!! and im amazed at how u can make the dough so round!
They look absolutely delicious
These look delicious, I’ve never made prawn dumplings before but I’ve eaten enough to last a lifetime ! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
really? is it not that hard? I still remember my last horrible attempt! But you have encouraged me a great deal!
@Anh – good luck Anh – it helps to have a stand mixer to mix the hot dough….
Har Gow is my favorite dumpling, and I can never get enough of them either!
Great recipe trissa, now there is no need for us to have to visit you at dumpling rehab!
These don’t look like what we usually have in Chinese restaurant… These look better! Much, much better!
Addictions will make us do strange things! I am however very impressed with your har gow! They look very authentic and I’m glad you’ve passed on the recipe for the wrappers…I have always wanted to know a few tips along the way! Thanks Trissa!
Oh, my, these dumplings look far better than restaurant dumplings.
I find that it is easier to pleat the wrappers first. It will form a pouch. Then I put in the filling and seal.
@Maricel – thank you for the tip!
Hi, what exactly is wheat starch? is it flour?
Your dishes look yum … loved the presentation of the food ! good work
you can view some of my dishes on http://kitchensojourn.blogspot.com ! i would be really happy if you follow it
you overcome your addiction by having more of it… good one hehe… the home-made wrapper looks ultra thin and the xo sauce is so luxurious!
i have made this before using store bougth wrapper…not the same but is still good.Morning Glory restaurant in Hoi An makes them really good, shiny and tranluscent , we practically ordered and tasted everything in thier menu the 3 days we spent there.
My family LOVES Har Gow. I’ll definitely be making these!!
I can’t decide which I like more – your gorgeous photos, or your recipes that remind me I should be more adventures in my own kitchen! 😛
wow… thank you for the dough recipe. i always wondered what they used for those ’cause they’re obviously handmade & not store bought. i love dim sum soooo much. i’m trying to go on a low carb diet & these aren’t helping LoL of course I shouldn’t be browsing at food blogs before i’ve had breakfast.
LOL Trissa you are just hilarious!!! Kudos on getting it right and getting over your “embarrassing” craving ;-)) only, you have passed it on to me! :PP
Someone once told me, the way to tell if the dim sum chef at a restaurant is good, order the Har Kow. I have seen how this is made… smacking the dough with the back of a cleaver and pressing it into rounds…. this yields the thinnest possible wrapper. I will need to enrol as a dim sum apprentice to learn how to do that. Your method makes making har kow very accessible. Thanks for sharing.
How did you steam your har-gaw? 🙂 Thanks!
@Syd – yes I steamed them. Good luck!
Gorgeous, Trissa! One of my favorite dimsum dishes :).
We tried making this awhile ago. The dough was a little hard to handle and also we can’t pleat well…. no matter…. the taste was awesome. Will have to add XO sauce next time for ours!
wow I’m so impressed you made the dough yourself, they look great. Very inspiring.
I love that you are so dedicated – if it doesn’t work immediately for me, I go out and get takeaway! The har gau look fabulous, especially with the XO sauce on top.
oh, dumpling addiction! I feel the same when I look at these dumplings 🙂 yum! unfortynately in Poland I can`t find a rice flour…
When you say ‘boiling water’ do you mean water that has boiled and hot. Or actual water that is boiling? Thank you for posting this, I cannot wait to make these dumplings.
These look amazing 🙂 I have a weakness for har-gow after I first tried them at Sho Noodle Bar in Crowne. Ever since my first har-gow I have tried them in every possible yum cha place I can from Melbourne to Singapore and Hong Kong and so far the best ones were in Hong Kong. This recipe doesn’t look too intimidating so maybe it’s time I tried my hand at making them.
What you didn’t use the TM????? I have thrown the stand mixer away!!!!
Sounds beautiful. My wife is making spicy sichuan dumplings as we speak! Yum
Love the translucency of the wrappers!