Taro Puffs (also known as Wu Gok 芋角) are Chinese fried dumplings made with taro, filled with a ground pork mixture. The taro puffs' signature is its golden lacy texture when fried.

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What are taro puffs?

Taro puffs, also known as wu gok, or woo kok 芋角 in Cantonese, are fried taro dumpling pastries commonly found in dim sum restaurants.

A dough of mashed taro and wheat starch is formed and filled with ground pork, which is then deep-fried until golden and crispy, somewhat similar to Ham Sui Gok 咸水角 (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings).

What is taro?

Taro is a starchy root vegetable, used in sweet or savory dishes.

It has a tough, brown exterior with an interior that is white/beige in colour with purple flecks.

Taro has similarities to starchy root vegetables like sweet potato/yam/ube, and has a slightly sweet and nutty taste.

Mashed taro along with wheat starch is used to form the pastry/dough of these wu gok dumplings.

How to choose taro

Choose large taro root that is unblemished, with no signs of mold, wrinkles or soft patches.

It should feel firm, yet light for its size.

Fresh-cut taro should appear whitish in color with purple flecks.

For this recipe, more mature, starchier taro will work best.

Recipes using taro

Taro Coconut Cake

Cha Gio (Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls with Taro)

Real Taro Milk Bubble Tea

Why you'll love this recipe

This recipe is quite straightforward, however, the challenging part is maintaining the correct frying temperature.

Worth the effort! Making taro dumplings at home takes a bit of time, but is a rewarding process.

Delicious & flavorful: using a combination of flavorful ingredients adds umami to the filling.

Traditional: this Chinese taro dumpling recipe yields that golden brown, crispy, flaky and lacy texture that everyone enjoys.

Equipment you'll need

kitchen thermometer: instant-read, or candy thermometer for monitoring the frying oil temperature
oil strainer: or a small stainless steel sieve for dipping the dumpling into the hot oil
tortilla press: to flatten the taro dough; or use a flat-bottomed pot

Key ingredients you'll need

For the filling: prepare a day ahead

lean ground pork: use an 80/20 ratio of lean meat to fat for the best flavor
light soy sauce
dark soy sauce: adds a darker color to the filling
oyster sauce: is a rich, dark brown sauce made from dried oysters; adds additional umami savory flavor
five-spice powder: is a combination of 5 spices: star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel
Chinese/shiitake mushrooms: soaked overnight, diced
carrot: diced
garlic: minced
shallot: minced; you can substitute with a little white onion if you don't have shallot
raw shrimp: diced
all-purpose flour: to thicken the filling
broth or water

Taro dough/pastry:

taro root: peeled and sliced into 1 cm thick slices
wheat starch: is not the same as wheat flour (regular plain flour); it is a by-product from the manufacture or wheat flour and theoretically should not contain gluten
boiling water: to partially cook some of the wheat starch dough
unsalted butter: room temperature, or pork lard
baking ammonia: optional; also known as ammonium bicarbonate -- is a leavening agent used in Pineapple Buns and Steamed Char Siu Bao to help the pastry expand and crack

You can find these ingredients in Asian grocery stores or supermarkets.

How to make the taro dumplings

Make the filling (a day ahead)

Over medium high heat, fry the ground pork in a wok or large frying pan, until almost cooked through.

Add in mushrooms and continue to stir fry until aromatic.

Add in carrot and cook for about 1 minute.

Next, add in garlic and shallot.

Add in seasonings: light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, sugar and 5-spice powder into the mixture.

Next, add in the shrimp.

In a bowl, combine the flour and broth to make the slurry. Add slurry into the meat mixture, and cook until thickened.

Transfer meat filling mixture to a bowl and cool completely.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.

Make the taro dough/pastry

Place sliced taro in a stainless steel colander/steamer and steam on high heat for 30 minutes, until taro is soft and fork-tender.

While taro steams, boil water.

Place the wheat starch into a bowl.

Cook 40g wheat starch by pouring boiling hot water into the wheat starch.

Mix with a pair of chopsticks until all the flour comes together.

Knead with your hands to form a smooth dough. Set aside.

When the taro is done steaming, mash the piping hot taro with a fork or potato ricer right away, until there are no lumps.

Add the cooked wheat starch dough, remaining 30g wheat starch, salt, sugar, 5-spice powder, black pepper, butter, sesame oil and baking ammonia.

Knead until well combined together.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Form the taro dumplings

Remove the dough out of the fridge and roll the dough into a long log.

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions, 38-39g each, and roll into balls.

Flatten the dough balls into a disc.

Place a portion of filling in the centre and enclose the filling by folding into a half-moon shape, and seal the edges.

Form the dumpling into a boat-shape.

Repeat with the remainder.

Cover and chill taro dumplings for at least 30 minutes.

Fry the dumplings

Prior to frying, remove taro dumplings from fridge and leave at room temperature for a few hours.

Heat 3 C of cooking oil in a pot.

Attach a thermometer to the pot to check the frying oil temperature, about 165-170C.

Note: Too low of an oil temperature, dough skin will peel off and disintegrate and too high a temperature, the dough will be cooked before it can form the lacey texture.

Dip a small oil strainer into the hot oil and place a dumpling on it.

Lower strainer into the oil and fry by dipping it in and out of the oil 3 times, so the skin can start puffing.

Fry about 3 minutes, until dumpling is golden in colour and develops a crispy, lacy crust.

Fry one taro dumpling at a time.

How to serve

Serve taro dumplings with a sweet chili sauce, along with other dim sum dishes such as: ham sui gok, lo mai gai, and siu mai.

How to store

As with any deep-fried pastry, it's best to consume wu gok freshly fried.

With time, the taro dumplings will lose its crispness.

If you do have leftovers, you can lightly cover it and place into the fridge for up to 1 day.

How to reheat

Reheat any leftover taro dumplings by baking them in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until hot and crisp.

Expert tips & FAQs

Frying oil temperature:

The frying oil temperature is crucial in attaining the taro dumpling's crispy, lacy texture.

Too low of a frying temperature, and the taro will disintegrate and melt away.

Too high of an oil temperature, and the structure of the dumpling sets too quickly, not allowing the lacy structure to form.

Use an kitchen thermometer or candy thermometer to monitor the frying oil temperature.

Note for handling taro:

Wash and taro root and let it dry overnight before peeling the skin.

Peel the skin of the taro root while dry, as wet taro can cause itchy skin.

Choose taro that is light for its size.

Don't have a tortilla press?

Use a heavy flat-bottomed pot or a large plate to flatten the taro dough evenly.

Tip: Use a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap to keep the press clean.

Other dim sum recipes you may like

Be sure to check out these recipes:

Ham Sui Gok 咸水角 (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings)

Chinese Fried Sesame Balls (Jian Dui)

Cantonese-Style Siu Mai 烧卖

Steamed BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Homemade Chinese BBQ Pork Pastry (Char Siu Sou)

Lo Mai Gai 糯米雞 (Chinese Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf)

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5 from 2 votes