I’m just going to say it — these are tricky to make. You can’t buy the skins because they are fragile and need to be made fresh. And making the skins and wrapping a Har Gow with all the adorable little pleats is something of an art involving a lot of muscle memory. So it’s a touch frustrating for people who don’t do it every day in a restaurant. But since it’s SO WORTH IT, I thought you might want to try your hand at it. That is the Chock Chin way.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 grams) wheat starch
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) corn flour
- 3/4 pound (350 grams) fresh shrimp
- 1 ounce (30 grams) fatty pork
- 1 ¾ ounces (50 grams) winter bamboo shoots
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) chicken bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) cooked pork lard
- vegetable oil as desired/needed
Instructions
Preparation
- Devein and remove shells of shrimps. Clean with fresh water. Add a bit of corn flour, spread evenly, then rinse the shrimps. Use the back of a knife to mash 1/3 of the shrimp meat into shrimp paste. For the remaining shrimp, cut each piece in two and remove water with paper towel.
- Rinse the pork and chop into granules. Wash winter bamboo shoots. Then put the bamboo shoots in boiling water and steam for a short time, then cut them into strips and squeeze out the moisture.
Make the Filling
- Add 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) salt to the shrimp paste and knead it until it achieves a gluey consistency so that the filling will be chewy. Add winter bamboo shoots and fatty pork to shrimp paste. Add salt, white sugar, chicken bouillon powder, ground pepper and 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) pork lard. Knead evenly to make the filling.
Make the Wrappers
- Add wheat starch to bowl. Add corn flour and 1 ⅔ cups boiling water. Stir evenly and heat. Use a bowl to close the dough and cover for 2 minutes. Rub dough evenly. Add 5 grams pork lard and rub again.
- Add a bit of cooking oil to a towel and wipe knife so that each side of the blade is coated in an equal amount of oil. Rub dough into long strips of even thickness. Cut into even pieces with knife. Reapply oil to knife. One by one, press the circular pieces of dough into thinner, circular dumpling wrappers.
Wrap the Har Gow
(This is how chefs do it. But as long as the Har Gows stay shut, your guests will love them.)
- Add an appropriate amount of filling to the center of the dumpling skin and fold together. With your right hand, press down on the front, middle, and back parts of the dumpling skin with your thumb, index finger, and middle finger respectively. With your left hand, use your thumb and middle finger to pinch one end of the dumpling together tightly. Use your right middle finger to constantly push out the creases in the dumpling towards the left. Use your left index finger to constantly pinch the creases together and pinch them together tightly with the back dumpling skin. After pinching the opening shut, gently pinch the side of the dumpling with creases on it so that it curves upwards, thus properly shaping the dumpling
Steam the Har Gow
- In a bamboo steamer (or just simply a steamer), lay down a sheet of parchment paper, which you have pre-cut to the exact dimensions of your steamer, with small 1/4" hole cut out in the center. Put the dumplings in the steamer with ample distance between each one. Add an appropriate amount of fresh water to the steamer pot and put the bamboo steamer on top. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and steam for 6 minutes.
FYI: Wheat starch is NOT the same as corn starch. And it is an essential ingredient for these. You can usually find it at an Asian market if you have one in your city. Or you can find it here at Amazon.
Here’s an example of one brand you find at Asian markets, in case you’re a visual shopper.
Here’s a YouTube video showing the fine art of wrapping a Har Gow properly. I confess, mine NEVER look like this. Not even close. But if I learned anything from Chock Chin, it is that one must never give up. The music on this video is unexpectedly triumphant and militant. It will make you feel as if anything is possible, including wrapping a perfect Har Gow.