Har gow are traditional Cantonese shrimp dumplings featuring a silky translucent wheat starch wrapper encasing sweet prawns and bamboo shoot filling. The key to success is using boiling water for the dough and steaming rather than boiling to preserve the delicate wrapper.
Delivery in as fast as one hour.*
Prices vary by store
*Service fees apply. Instacart® and the Instacart logo are registered trademarks of Maplebear Inc. d/b/a Instacart.
Mix the wheat starch, tapioca starch, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Add the boiling water into the mixing bowl. Stir the mixture vigorously until it looks like snowflakes.
Add the oil.
Knead the dough until soft and pliable.
Cover it and let it relax for 5 minutes.
Put it on a work surface and roll it into long strips.
Cut dough into small portions, 15-20g each.
Roll out the dough, and wrap the shrimp filling with the wrapper.
Clean and devein the shrimps. Marinate with salt for 5 minutes and wash thoroughly under running water.
Chop the shrimp coarsely.
Chop the bamboo shoots into small pieces.
Mix the shrimps, bamboo shoots, and the seasoning until it becomes sticky.
Place the dumplings in the bamboo steamer.
Steam for 6 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Unsteamed har gow freeze well for up to 3 weeks; steam from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes. Leftover steamed dumplings keep refrigerated for 2 days and can be resteamed or pan-fried until golden.
bamboo steamer basket or metal steaming insert · pot with tight-fitting lid for steaming · digital kitchen scale (essential for accurate starch ratio)
The dough is too hot or hasn't cooled enough before handling. Let it rest 10 minutes after mixing, then oil your hands lightly when pleating. If filling leaks during steaming, the wrapper may be too thin—aim for even 2–3mm thickness.
Not recommended. Equal tapioca produces a less silky, grainier texture. Wheat starch gives the signature translucent, smooth appearance. Stick to the 1:1 ratio or adjust only slightly for humidity.
Steam for 6–8 minutes over boiling water. The wrapper will turn from opaque to slightly translucent and glossy. The filling should feel firm (not mushy) when you gently press the dumpling.
Yes. Place unsteamed dumplings on a tray, freeze until solid (2–3 hours), then transfer to an airtight container. Steam from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to cooking time.
Raw prawn weight accounts for shell and intestinal loss. You need 500g raw to yield roughly 350–400g usable meat after peeling and deveining, which is the correct filling amount for tender, moist dumplings.
Soy Sauce Chicken
60 min
Soy Sauce Chicken
105 min
Soy Sauce Chicken (See Yao Gai, 豉油鸡)
50 min
Har Gow (Dim Sum Shrimp Dumplings)
80 min
Brandy Crusta
5 min
Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Pork Rice Bowl, 卤肉饭)
90 min
Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice) - EASY!
75 min
Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice Bowl)
120 min
Castella Recipe - How to make (with detailed instruction)
80 min · KP Kwan
