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Har gow are the signature white-skinned prawn dumplings served at dim sum, featuring a delicate pleated wheat starch wrapper and a filling of minced prawn, water chestnut, and ginger. They're surprisingly manageable to make at home and cost less than buying ready-made.
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Finely chop half of the 240g Raw Prawns. Use the side of a large knife to press the small prawn pieces into the chopping board to make a paste. Set the remaining prawns to the side.
Finely chop 15g Water Chestnut and add to small mixing bowl along with the minced prawn.
Add 1 tsp Ginger Paste, 1.5 tsp Fine Salt, 1 tbsp Sugar, 1 tbsp Cornflour and 0.25 tsp White Pepper to the prawn bowl.
Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.
Cut the remaining prawns into 30 pieces. It depends on the size of prawn that you use as to how many pieces you will get from each prawn. I use massive prawns which get cut into 6 pieces each. Try to make the pieces as evenly sized as possible.
Set aside in the fridge whilst making the dough.
Combine 90g Wheat Starch, 60g Tapioca Flour, 60g Cornflour, 1.5 tsp Sugar and 1 tsp Fine Salt in a medium bowl.
Add 180g Boiling Water. Mix quickly for only 20 seconds then cover the bowl and leave for 3 minutes. This 'cooks' the flour.
Add 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil to the dough and knead until very smooth. This doesn't take long at all.
And it goes VERY smooth.
Divide the dough into thirds, roll each chunk into a thick sausage and then divide each sausage into 8 equal pieces. (Please note you will need to make adjustments if you have changed the portions for this recipe) You should end up with 24 pieces in total. You will use offcuts to make the remaining dumplings.
Keep the dough balls in a plastic bag with the top kept tightly wound to stop them from drying out.
Assemble the prawn paste, prawns, dough pieces, rolling pin, board and cookie cutter in one place.
Roll out one of the dough balls to about 0.5mm thick.
Keep turning and flipping the dough to prevent it sticking. Do not use flour or oil.
Cut out a round with a smooth edged 3.5 inch cookie cutter.
Squeeze the cuttings together and place back in the plastic bag with the rest of the dough.
Add about half a teaspoon of the prawn paste to the dough round and top with a piece of prawn.
Loosely fold the dough over the filling. Do not squeeze the edges together.
Hold the dough in your left hand (or right if you are left handed). The bulk of the dough will rest on your left index finger with the gap pointing away from you. Your thumb will anchor the dumpling to your hand.
Use your right hand to create pleats by folding the top of the dough back on itself in stages whilst at the same time pinching the layers of dough together.
This action is very difficult to describe but fun to master! You can alternatively not pleat the dumplings and just press the edges together to make half moons. They will taste the same!
Keep folding pleats into the dumpling...
...until you run out of dough.
Squeeze the top edge of the dough together to fully seal it.
You don't want any of the filling to be able to escape.
Place the folded dumpling onto a board or tray and continue to repeat with the other balls of dough.
There should be some filling left so squeeze together all the off cuts and roll them out to form as many extra dumplings as you can. You should be able to make a further 6 dumplings.
To cook the dumplings, place them in a steamer basket and cook for 8 minutes over boiling hot water. To cook from frozen, allow 12 minutes.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Freeze assembled dumplings on a tray before transferring to an airtight container; cook from frozen for 12 minutes. Cooked dumplings can be refrigerated for 2–3 days and resteamed to reheat.
bamboo or metal steamer basket · 3.5-inch smooth-edged cookie cutter · rolling pin
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Yes. Assemble dumplings and freeze on a tray before transferring to a container. Cook from frozen for 12 minutes instead of 8.
Wheat starch dough is naturally sticky. Do not use flour or oil when rolling; instead keep dough balls in a sealed plastic bag between rolling to prevent drying, and turn/flip the dough frequently while rolling to prevent sticking.
Yes. You can press the edges together to form half-moons instead of pleating. The dumplings will taste identical.
The recipe uses large prawns that yield 6 pieces each from 240g total. Adjust cutting based on your prawn size, aiming for evenly sized pieces.
Steam for exactly 8 minutes over boiling water (12 minutes from frozen). The wrapper will become slightly translucent and the filling will be cooked through.
