These light, fresh-tasting har gow, adapted from Asian Dumplings, are surprisingly easy to master, especially if you use the simple fold-over method.

Game plan: Make a batch of Har Gow Dumpling Dough and Chile Garlic Sauce before you begin.

And read up on the difference between dumplings and wontons.

  • Yields: About 30 dumplings
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Total: 1 hr 
  • Active: 45 mins

Ingredients (13)

  • 9 ounces raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fatty bacon
  • 3 tablespoon finely chopped bamboo shoots
  • 2 teaspoon minced scallions (white parts only)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • Pinch of white pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 recipe Har Gow Dumpling Dough (see note)
  • Soy sauce, for dipping
  • 1 recipe Chile Garlic Sauce (see note)

Instructions

To make the filling:

  1. Toss the shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, then rinse under cold water. Drain, and blot dry with paper towels.
  2. Halve the shrimp lengthwise and chop into approximately 1/8-inch pieces.
  3. Add the chopped shrimp to a medium mixing bowl, along with the bacon, bamboo shoots, and scallion. Stir to combine.
  4. In a second, smaller bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, cornstarch, sugar, white pepper, rice wine, and sesame oil. Stir to dissolve the cornstarch, then pour this mixture into the shrimp mixture. Stir well to make sure everything is well coated. Cover and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerated for as long as 4 hours.

To assemble:

  1. Work with a quarter of the dumpling dough at a time. With your hands, roll the first piece into a log about 8 inches long. Cut the log into 8 equal lengths.
  2. Roll each piece out into a thin circle 3 to 3 1/4 inches in diameter, or use a tortilla press lined with plastic wrap (this method is much, much easier than rolling by hand) to form the circles.
  3. Set up a steamer, such as a 2-level Chinese bamboo steamer set inside a wok partially filled with simmering water. Line the bamboo steamer with parchment paper circles, cut slightly smaller than the steamer’s diameter.
  4. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of a wrapper. The easier way to form the dumplings is to fold the wrapper over into a half-moon shape, empanada style, then pinch the edges to seal. (If you’re feeling ambitious, form the dumpling in your hand, pinching and pleating the edge to seal.)
  5. Continue with the remaining wrappers until they’re all filled.
  6. Space the dumplings about 1/2-inch apart in the steamer. Steam until the wrappers are translucent and shiny and the filling cooked, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a warmed platter or individual plates and serve at once, with soy sauce and Chile Garlic Sauce for dipping.