Shrimp Har Gow (4) 鲜虾饺 Recipe

Mix dry starches

Combine the wheat starch and tapioca starch in a heatproof bowl and stir briefly to blend evenly.

Pour the boiling water over the starches in a thin stream while stirring with a wooden spoon or chopstick. Stir continuously until the mixture comes together into a shaggy mass.

Add the vegetable oil and salt, then mix quickly. When cool enough to handle but still warm, knead the mixture in the bowl or on a lightly oiled surface until it becomes a smooth, pliable dough (about 1–2 minutes). If it feels dry, add up to 1/2 tbs warm water; if too sticky, dust with a little extra wheat starch.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rest for 15–20 minutes to hydrate and relax. After resting, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (since this recipe makes 4 dumplings). Keep unused dough covered to prevent drying.

Working with one piece at a time, roll each piece into a small log and cut into 1 piece (we already divided into 4). Flatten each piece and roll into a thin round about 2.5–3 inches (6–7.5 cm) across. Roll between two sheets of plastic wrap or on a lightly dusted surface with extra tapioca starch to prevent sticking. Aim for wrappers that are thin but intact—the translucency is characteristic of har gow.

Prepare shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry and, if large, chop about two-thirds of them into a coarse paste (use a sharp knife or pulse briefly in a food processor). Reserve four whole or halved shrimp if you want to place a visible shrimp piece on top of each dumpling for presentation. Keep the chopped shrimp cold.

In a bowl, combine the chopped shrimp with the minced bamboo shoots, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, salt, white pepper, cornstarch, egg white, and ice water. Mix in one direction (folding/scooping action) until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive; this creates a smooth, slightly elastic filling texture. Stir in the chopped scallion last. Taste a tiny bit by quickly steaming a pinch to adjust seasoning if desired.

Keep the filling chilled while you form wrappers; a cold filling helps maintain texture during steaming.

Whisk together the light soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, optional chili oil, and a small pinch of sugar until the sugar dissolves. Adjust acidity or heat to taste. Set aside for serving.

Prepare steamer

Bring the steamer water to a steady boil. Line the steamer basket with the parchment squares or a steamer liner, brushing them lightly with neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Dust one wrapper lightly with extra tapioca starch to prevent sticking to hands. Place about 2 tbs of the shrimp filling in the center of the wrapper (enough to form a plump dumpling but not overfill). If you reserved shrimp pieces, press one on top of the filling for presentation.

Fold the wrapper over the filling to form a half-moon and pleat the top edge: pinching and folding small pleats from one side to the center until sealed (traditional har gow has 6–7 pleats but appearance is more important than exact count). Ensure the dumpling is sealed without air pockets. Smooth the bottom so it sits flat on the liner.

Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, placing each finished dumpling on its own parchment square in the steamer. Leave some space between dumplings for expansion.

Steam over high heat for 6–8 minutes (timing depends on wrapper thickness and shrimp size). Steam until the wrapper becomes translucent and the shrimp are fully pink and opaque. Avoid over-steaming—start checking at 6 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the dumplings sit in the closed steamer for 1 minute to settle, then remove carefully with tongs or a spatula and transfer to a serving plate. Serve immediately with the prepared dipping sauce.