Har Gow (Shrimp and Pea Shoot Dumplings)

Name: Har Gow (Shrimp and Pea Shoot Dumplings)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes About 40 Dumplings
Ingredients: 1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, and diced; 1 cup bamboo shoots, diced; 1 cup water chestnuts, diced; 1 cup pea shoots, coarsely chopped; 1 clove garlic, finely minced; 2 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. sugar; 1 tsp. white pepper; 2 tsp. vegetable oil; 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil; 1 ⁄ 4 cup green peas; 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups wheat starch; 2 ⁄ 3 cup tapioca flour; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. salt; Vegetable oil; 1 ⁄ 2 cup soy sauce; 1 ⁄ 4 cup rice vinegar; 1 scallion, green parts only, sliced very thin

Serves
makes About 40 Dumplings

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These traditional shrimp dumplings are encased in har gow dough, glutinous dumpling skins that are opaque when raw and become luminously translucent once cooked. The pea "eyes" are purely decorative; Buddakan co-executive chef Yang Huang likes them because they make the dumplings look like little goldfish.

Ingredients

For the Filling

1 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, and diced
1 cup bamboo shoots, diced
1 cup water chestnuts, diced
1 cup pea shoots, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. white pepper
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
¹⁄₄ cup green peas

For the Dough and Serving

1 ¹⁄₃ cups wheat starch
²⁄₃ cup tapioca flour
¹⁄₄ tsp. salt
Vegetable oil
¹⁄₂ cup soy sauce
¹⁄₄ cup rice vinegar
1 scallion, green parts only, sliced very thin

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the filling: In a large nonreactive bowl, combine filling ingredients except peas. Work the mixture aggressively with hands until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate.

Step 2

Make the dough: Mix together wheat starch, tapioca flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually stir in 1 cup plus 3 tbsp. boiling water a little at a time, then add 2 tbsp. oil. Mix until dough forms a ball. Knead dough on a lightly oiled surface until silky, about 1 minute. Quarter dough, roll into 10" ropes, cut each rope into 10 pieces, roll pieces into balls, then flatten balls with palm of your hand. Flatten skins further using the flat side of an oiled Chinese cleaver until very thin. Keep dough and skins covered with plastic to prevent them from drying out.

Step 3

Spoon about 2 tsp. filling in center of each skin, folding dough over and pleating edges together until halfway closed; place two peas on the edge of the dumpling skin and fold dough around them to form "eyes."

Step 4

Fit a bamboo steamer basket over boiling water; steam dumplings over high heat for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Serve accompanied with combined soy sauce, rice vinegar, and scallion.