Okay, so I finally got around to making dim sum shrimp dumplings, you know, Har Gow. Been on my to-do list for ages, and I thought, why not today?
First off, I tackled the shrimp. Got a decent amount of fresh ones, peeled them, deveined them – that part’s always a bit of a chore, isn’t it? Patience is key, or you end up with gritty shrimp, no thanks. I chopped about two-thirds of it kinda chunky, and the other third I minced up real fine. I read somewhere that this combo gives you a nice texture, a bit of snap and some tenderness. Seemed legit.
Then, into a bowl they went. I threw in some finely chopped bamboo shoots, just a little for crunch. For seasonings, I kept it pretty classic: a pinch of salt, some white pepper, a tiny bit of sugar to balance things out, a splash of sesame oil, and a little Shaoxing wine. Oh, and a crucial ingredient – cornstarch. That’s what helps keep the shrimp filling all juicy and together. Gave it all a good mix and popped it in the fridge to marinate for a bit, let those flavors get to know each other.
The Dough Drama
Now, let’s talk about the wrappers. This, my friends, is where things got interesting. I’d watched a few videos, read a few recipes. Wheat starch, tapioca starch, a bit of oil, boiling water. Sounds simple, right? Ha! My first attempt was a disaster. A complete, sticky, unworkable mess. It was like trying to roll out glue. I fiddled with it, added more starch, more water – nope. Straight into the bin it went. I was pretty annoyed, almost just gave up and ordered takeout. Seriously.
But I’m stubborn. So, round two. I was much more careful with the boiling water, adding it slowly. This batch was better. Still, this dough is unlike anything I’ve worked with before. It’s kinda translucent, stretchy but also delicate. You gotta work pretty fast before it dries out or gets too cool. It’s not like making pasta dough, that’s for sure.
Assembling the Little Guys
Once I had a workable dough, I rolled it into a log, cut off small pieces, and then flattened each piece into a thin-ish circle using the side of a cleaver – well, I tried. My circles were more like… organic shapes. They’re supposed to be super thin so you can see the pink shrimp through them. Mine were, let’s say, a respectable thickness. Not see-through, but not like a heavy blanket either.
Then came the filling. Spooned a bit of the chilled shrimp mixture into the center of each wrapper. And the pleating… oh boy, the pleating. You see those beautiful, intricate folds on restaurant Har Gow? Yeah, mine didn’t quite look like that. Some were okay, some looked a bit like they’d been in a fight. Let’s just call them rustic, or charmingly homemade. I ended up with a collection that looked something like this:
- Some reasonably pleated ones
- Some that were more like half-moons
- A few that were just… sealed. Let’s go with sealed.
I lined my bamboo steamer with some cabbage leaves. Saw that tip online, stops them sticking like crazy. Genius! Carefully placed my motley crew of dumplings inside, making sure they weren’t too crowded.
The Steamy Finish
Steamed them for about 6 to 7 minutes. Watched them through the gaps, saw them turn pink and the wrappers become a bit more translucent. The moment of truth! I pulled them out. They weren’t the prettiest Har Gow on the block, definitely won’t be winning any beauty contests. But they were mine!
And the taste? You know what, they were actually pretty darn good! The shrimp was cooked perfectly – bouncy and flavorful. The wrappers, despite my struggles, had that classic chewy texture. That first bite, with a bit of chili oil… yeah, that was worth all the effort with that tricky dough. Totally satisfying.
So, that was my Har Gow adventure. It was a bit of a process, especially with those wrappers, but I did it. Will I make them again? Probably. I reckon I can get better at those pleats. Or maybe I’ll just appreciate the ones I get at a restaurant even more now, knowing the effort that goes in!
