This recipe for Har Gow 蝦餃 (Chinese Shrimp Dumplings) is a dim sum classic, featuring a robust shrimp filling tucked inside a chewy and translucent dumpling wrapper.

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What is har gow?

Har gow 蝦餃 (also ha gau/ha gow/har gao, or known as crystal shrimp dumplings) is a pleated and steamed shrimp dumpling containing shrimp, bamboo shoots and pork fat, along with seasonings.

Har gow is literally translated as "shrimp dumpling" in Cantonese.

It is a traditional dim sum dish originating from Guangdong, China, typically paired and served with siu mai pork dumplings.

Unlike Chinese dumplings (jiao zi) 餃子 which use wheat flour wrappers, shrimp har gow dumpling wrapper is thin, translucent and smooth when steamed, due to the use of a combination of starches.

Also known as a "shrimp bonnet," har gow will have at least 9-10 pleats per dumpling and the pleating is slightly different than Chinese dumplings or pot stickers.

Why you'll love this recipe

This recipe for Chinese shrimp dumplings is:

Worth the effort: as with most dim sum dishes, there is a bit of work involved, but the end result is rewarding.

Streamlined: the steps have been streamlined to make it easier to follow.

Delicious: known as one of the "4 Heavenly Kings" of dim sum, alongside siu mai, char siu bao, and egg tarts, this delicate dumpling filled with meaty shrimp is not to be missed.

Special equipment you'll need

tortilla press: to press the dumpling wrappers flat; or use a large thin cleaver and a large cutting board or work surface (lightly greased)
wooden rolling pin: to thin out one half of the wrapper
steamer: for steaming the dumplings; you can use bamboo steamer or a steaming rack

Ingredients you'll need

Har gow shrimp filling:

raw shrimp (生蝦): cut into smaller pieces, if larger in size; you can also use prawn if you wish
canned bamboo shoots (竹筍): or substitute with water chestnut (馬蹄)
seasonings: sea salt (鹽), white pepper (胡椒粉), granulated sugar (砂糖), sesame oil (麻油)

Har gow dumpling skin:

wheat starch (小麥澄粉): is not the same as wheat flour; is extracted from wheat, with the protein removed and is white in color with a similar texture to cornstarch (see below for package)
potato starch (土豆淀粉): starch extracted from potatoes; adds a silky texture (see below for package)
hot boiling water (沸水): gelatinizes the starches and partially cooks the dough
tapioca starch (菱粉): is a starch from the cassava plant; has a fine, white texture (see below for package)

You can find these ingredients at Asian supermarkets, sold in packages.

How to make

Make the har gow shrimp filling

If using bamboo shoots:

Boil bamboo shoots in a pot of hot water for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse well.

Pat dry with paper towel and dice into small pieces.

Mixture:

Place raw shrimp into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment.

Add in salt, white pepper and turn on the mixer, stirring for 10 minutes.

Add in cooked bamboo shoots (or diced water chestnut), sugar and sesame oil into the shrimp and continue to mix for another minute, until very sticky.

Remove the shrimp mixture and place into a bowl, covered with plastic wrap.

Chill in the fridge overnight.

Make the har gow dumpling skin dough

Place wheat starch and potato starch into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment (or mix in a large bowl by hand).

Add 1 C boiling water into the flour mixture and turn on the mixer for about 30 seconds.

Stop the mixer and add in tapioca starch. Start the mixer and let it go for 1-2 minutes.

Remove the dough out of the bowl.

Knead the dough by hand for 1-2 minutes.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 3 minutes.

Roll the dough into 2 long logs and divide into 40 portions, about 12g each. Cover the dough to prevent it from drying up.

Grease your work surface with a little sesame oil.

Press a piece of dough in between a folded piece of parchment paper onto the tortilla press and flatten it into a 3" round disc.

Lightly roll and flatten one half of the disc, to make it thinner on one side.

Assemble and steam

Fill the dumpling skin with 1 teaspoon of shrimp filling.

The thinner dough on top, and the thicker side should be on the bottom. Fold the dough into a half-moon shape.

Pinch the right corner and pleat 9-10 times on one spot, with the thinner edge and the last pleat on the left corner. Pinch to seal.

Place har gow on a greased steamer with holes.

Steam over boiling water on high heat for 5-6 minutes, or until fully cooked and the dumpling skin is translucent.

How to serve

Serve the freshly steamed har gow immediately, while hot.

As the dumpling cools, the texture of the dough will stiffen.

Serve with other dim sum dishes such as pork siu mai, egg tarts, steamed bbq pork buns (char siu bao), rice noodle rolls (cheong fun), taro puffs (wu gok), sticky rice in lotus leaf (lo mai gai), fried glutinous rice dumplings (ham sui gok) and a pot of jasmine tea.

How to store & reheat

Fridge:

If you have any leftovers, place into an airtight container into the fridge for 3 days.

Freezer:

If planning to freeze, place uncooked shrimp dumplings onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper (with a little space in between each dumpling) and freeze for 1-2 hours, before transferring to a freezer-safe bag for up to 1 month. Steam from frozen.

Reheat:

The best way to reheat har gow is to re-steam the dumplings. Do not boil or pan-fry these dumplings.

If steaming the dumplings from frozen, add a few extra minutes to the overall steaming time.

Expert tips

Using a tortilla press to flatten the dough is a much easier approach to the traditional dim sum master method of using a large cleaver knife to smear and flatten the dough on a work surface.

For the traditional method:

You can press/flatten a piece of dough with a greased cleaver to flatten it into a 3" round disc, with one half thinner, and the other half thicker.

Other Chinese dim sum dishes you may like

Be sure to check out these recipes:

Cantonese-Style Siu Mai 烧卖

Homemade Chinese Egg Tarts

Rice Noodle Rolls 豬腸粉 (Chee Cheong Fun)

Ham Sui Gok 咸水角 (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings)

Taro Puffs (Fried Taro Dumplings) Wu Gok 芋角

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5 from 2 votes