Cantonese Har Gow Dumplings
Quick answer
- Total time
- 47 min
- Level
- Hard
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 9
About this dish
Har gow is the benchmark dumpling of Cantonese dim sum, and the translucent wrapper is what sets it apart from every other variety.
Read more
Wheat starch and tapioca starch are mixed with boiling water, which instantly gelatinizes the starches and produces a pliable, springy dough with a silky chew that ordinary wheat flour simply cannot replicate. A small amount of oil kneaded in ensures the dough stays smooth and workable as you roll. The shrimp filling is deliberately chopped rather than minced fine, so each bite delivers a firm, snappy texture instead of a paste. Finely diced bamboo shoots add a subtle crunch that breaks the monotony. Seasoning is intentionally restrained, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper only, to let the natural sweetness of the shrimp carry the flavor. The dough firms up quickly as it cools, so the only practical approach is to work in small batches. Six to seven minutes over high steam is all it takes for the wrappers to turn glassy and the pink shrimp to show through. At a Hong Kong yum cha table, har gow is invariably among the first baskets ordered.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Season
Roughly chop 320g shrimp and finely dice 80g bamboo shoots, then toss with 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp white pepper, and 1 tsp sesame oil until evenly coated.
- 2Heat
Combine 140g wheat starch and 40g tapioca starch in a bowl, pour in 170ml boiling water all at once, and stir quickly with chopsticks until the dough turns translucent.
- 3Control
Once the dough cools enough to handle, knead in 1 tbsp oil for about 5 minutes until the surface is smooth and glossy, then cover with a damp cloth and rest for 10 minutes.
- 4Step
Divide dough into 12 pieces and roll each into an 8cm thin circle.
Spoon filling into the center, fold into a half-moon, and pleat the edge firmly to seal.
- 5Heat
Line the steamer basket with parchment paper, arrange har gow with space between them, and steam over vigorously boiling water for 6 to 7 minutes.
- 6Finish
When the wrapper turns a pearlescent translucent color, turn off heat and rest for 1 minute to even out the internal temperature.
Serve immediately in the steamer while hot.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Cantonese Har Gow dumplings rely on boiling water to gelatinize wheat starch for the skin.
- Finish cue
- When the wrapper turns a pearlescent translucent color, turn off heat and rest for 1 minute to even out the internal temperature.
- Avoid this
- Do not over-process shrimp; coarse texture gives better bite.
- Substitution
- The shrimp filling is deliberately chopped rather than minced fine, so each bite delivers a firm, snappy texture instead of a paste.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
47min, 9 ingredients
Category median
48min, 8 ingredients
Based on 247 recipes
Official cooking and safety guidance
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Storage and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the center to 74°C.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Leftovers and Food Safety
Sources checked 2026-08-03
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