Har Gow / Hakau

Ingredients

• 350 gdeshelled shrimp, diced
• 1 tbspoyster sauce
• 2 tbspfried garlic oil
• 2 tspegg whites
• 2 tspsesame oil
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 1 tspsugar
• 1/2 tspwhite pepper
• 2 tbsppotato starch
• amount not specifiedchilli oil, chilli sambal or sriracha

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the filling

   Put the diced shrimp, salt and sugar in a bowl. Mix vigorously until the mixture becomes sticky and pasty.

2. 2

   Season and chill

   Add the oyster sauce, fried garlic oil, egg whites, sesame oil, white pepper and potato starch. Mix well, then refrigerate the filling until you are ready to use it.

3. 3

   Combine wrapper ingredients

   Put the starches, flour and salt in a bowl and mix. Add the oil and boiling water.

4. 4

   Rest the mixture

   Mix with chopsticks or a spoon until combined, then cover and leave for 2–3 minutes.

5. 5

   Knead the dough

   Knead the dough by hand until smooth, then shape it into a large ball.

6. 6

   Divide the dough

   Cut the dough into equal portions.

7. 7

   Portion the wrappers

   Roll the dough into a log and cut it into small pieces weighing 11–13 g each.

8. 8

   Roll the wrappers

   Roll each piece into a thin, round wrapper. Continue until the dough is used. If using a 9–10 cm ring cutter, cut the dough into pieces weighing 14–16 g each.

9. 9

   Fill the wrappers

   Place one wrapper in front of you and put 1 tsp of filling in its centre.

10. 10

    Pleat and seal

    Make small pleats around the edge, pinching from right to left to close each dumpling.

11. 11

    Prepare the steamer

    Bring water to a boil in a steamer. Line the perforated parchment with the har gow.

12. 12

    Steam and serve

    Steam for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve with the dipping sauce.

What are har gow?

Har gow, also known as hakau, are Cantonese steamed shrimp dumplings traditionally served at dim sum. Their characteristic wrapper is thin and translucent, folded around a juicy shrimp filling.

This version builds flavour with oyster sauce, fried garlic oil and sesame oil. The recipe does not provide quantities for the wrapper ingredients, so those amounts need to be clarified before the dumplings can be made as written.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 180 calories, 20g protein, 8g carbs, 10g fat.

The shrimp provides most of the protein, while potato starch and the unquantified wrapper ingredients contribute carbohydrates. Garlic oil, sesame oil and the wrapper oil contribute fat; the recipe’s missing wrapper amounts mean the macros and calories can only be rough estimates. Serve with vegetables or soup to round out the plate.

The shrimp filling

Sticky texture: mix the shrimp with salt and sugar vigorously first, as the method directs, until the pieces cling together in a pasty mixture.

Seasoning: add the sauces, oils, egg whites, pepper and potato starch after the initial mixing. Chilling the filling while preparing the wrappers helps keep it together for filling.

The wrapper dough

Missing amounts: the method calls for starches, flour, salt, oil and boiling water, but none of these wrapper ingredients appears in the supplied ingredient list. Their quantities are essential for making and rolling the dough, so check the original recipe for them before starting.

Hot water: the method adds boiling water to the dry ingredients, then rests the mixture covered for 2–3 minutes before kneading. Handle the mixture carefully while it is hot.

Rolling and shaping

Small portions: cut the dough into 11–13 g pieces, or 14–16 g pieces if using a 9–10 cm ring cutter, as specified in the method.

Thin wrappers: roll each piece as thin as possible and keep the unused dough covered so it does not dry out. Put 1 tsp of filling in the centre, then pleat and pinch the edge closed from right to left.

Steaming and doneness

Steamer setup: bring the water to a boil before adding the dumplings, and line the perforated parchment with the har gow.

Timing: steam for 8–10 minutes, then remove from the heat. The recipe gives no further visual doneness cue, so follow the stated steaming time and make sure the shrimp filling is cooked through.

Serving the dumplings

Serve the har gow hot with the listed chilli oil, chilli sambal or sriracha as a dipping accompaniment. The recipe does not specify a particular dipping sauce or serving quantity.

For a fuller meal, serve alongside a simple vegetable dish or soup; these are serving suggestions rather than ingredients in the recipe.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chill the filling while you prepare the wrappers to make it easier to portion.
• Keep dough pieces covered as you work so they do not dry out.
• Roll the wrappers thinly, as the method directs, for a delicate dumpling.
• Use the specified 11–13 g dough portions unless cutting wrappers with a 9–10 cm ring cutter.
• Bring the steamer water to a boil before steaming the dumplings.
• Check the wrapper ingredient quantities before starting; they are missing from the supplied list.

Variations

• Choose a dip: serve with chilli oil, chilli sambal or sriracha, as listed.
• Adjust the heat: offer the chilli accompaniment on the side so diners can add it to taste.
• Serve with vegetables: add a simple vegetable side for a more substantial meal.
• Make a larger batch: scale the listed ingredients proportionally, once the missing wrapper quantities have been confirmed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting without wrapper quantities: the method omits their amounts; check the original recipe before mixing the dough.
• Dry dough: keep unused portions covered while rolling and shaping.
• Thick wrappers: roll each wrapper as thin as possible, as directed.
• Overfilling: use 1 tsp of filling per wrapper so there is room to pleat and seal.
• Loose pleats: pinch from right to left around the edge to close the dumpling.
• Skipping the pre-boil: bring the steamer water to a boil before adding the lined dumplings.

How to store

The recipe does not give storage instructions. For best texture, serve the dumplings soon after steaming; refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and reheat until hot throughout.

Frequently asked questions