Har Gow Dough

Har Gow Dough

Translucent wheat starch dough that wraps delicately around shrimp filling.

Total 40 min Makes 24 wrappers Calories 35/serving

Dietary

Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Dairy free, Nut free, Halal, Kosher

Allergens

Wheat

This dough combines wheat starch and tapioca starch with boiling water to create a pliable, translucent wrapper prized in dim sum. It steams up glossy and slightly chewy, thin enough to reveal the shrimp filling inside. Mastering the hot-water knead and quick shaping technique is key to authentic har gow.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup wheat starch
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. In a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together the wheat starch, tapioca starch, and salt.

  2. Pour the boiling water into the starch mixture all at once, stirring immediately and vigorously with a wooden spoon or chopstick until a shaggy, translucent dough forms.

  3. Drizzle the vegetable oil over the dough and let it sit for 2 minutes to cool slightly before handling.

  4. Turn the dough out onto a work surface dusted with tapioca starch and knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth, warm, and pliable with no dry streaks.

  5. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten and starches.

  6. Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces, keeping unused pieces covered to prevent drying, and roll each piece into a small ball.

  7. Flatten each ball with a wide-bladed cleaver or rolling pin dusted in tapioca starch, pressing into a thin, round wrapper about 3 inches in diameter with slightly thinner edges than center.

  8. Use the wrappers immediately for filling and shaping har gow, keeping finished wrappers covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out and cracking.

Rate this recipe

★ 4.2 (1)

Har Gow Dough

This dough combines wheat starch and tapioca starch with boiling water to create a pliable, translucent wrapper prized in dim sum. It steams up glossy and slightly chewy, thin enough to reveal the shrimp filling inside. Mastering the hot-water knead and quick shaping technique is key to authentic har gow.

40 min 24 wrappers 35 cal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup wheat starch
  • 1/4 cup tapioca starch, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Method

  1. 1

    In a heatproof mixing bowl, whisk together the wheat starch, tapioca starch, and salt.

  2. 2

    Pour the boiling water into the starch mixture all at once, stirring immediately and vigorously with a wooden spoon or chopstick until a shaggy, translucent dough forms.

  3. 3

    Drizzle the vegetable oil over the dough and let it sit for 2 minutes to cool slightly before handling.

  4. 4

    Turn the dough out onto a work surface dusted with tapioca starch and knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth, warm, and pliable with no dry streaks.

  5. 5

    Shape the dough into a smooth ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let it rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten and starches.

  6. 6

    Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces, keeping unused pieces covered to prevent drying, and roll each piece into a small ball.

  7. 7

    Flatten each ball with a wide-bladed cleaver or rolling pin dusted in tapioca starch, pressing into a thin, round wrapper about 3 inches in diameter with slightly thinner edges than center.

  8. 8

    Use the wrappers immediately for filling and shaping har gow, keeping finished wrappers covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out and cracking.