Where does Har gow come from?

Har gow — country of origin: China.

What is Har gow made of?

Shrimp, wheat starch, tapioca starch, bamboo shoot, pork fat, sesame oil, salt, sugar.

Which allergens does Har gow contain?

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains crustaceans and crustacean products. Contains sesame seeds and sesame products.

Har gow

Cantonese steamed dumpling of translucent wheat and tapioca starch wrapper enclosing whole or chopped shrimp, pleated into a crescent. A staple of dim sum.

Also known as: Hargow · Xiajiao · Shrimp dumplings · Ha gow

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Cereals (gluten)

Wheat

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products

Crustaceans

Contains crustaceans and crustacean products

Sesame Seeds

Contains sesame seeds and sesame products

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Har gow is a Cantonese steamed dumpling with a translucent starch wrapper filled with shrimp, served as one of the core items of dim sum.

What it really is

Har gow is made from a dough of wheat starch and tapioca starch, scalded with boiling water so it becomes elastic and clear. The dough is rolled into thin rounds, each filled with a small amount of raw shrimp mixed with pork fat or bamboo shoot, lard or oil, salt, sugar, and seasonings, then folded and pleated into a crescent with a flat base. The dumplings are steamed in bamboo baskets for a few minutes until the wrapper turns clear and the shrimp is just cooked.

The wrapper is what separates har gow from other shrimp dumplings. Wheat-flour dumplings such as wontons or jiaozi are opaque and chewy, while har gow wrappers are glassy and slightly springy because of the starch. Shumai, by contrast, use an egg-based wrapper gathered up at the top and usually show a yellow or open filling.

Fillings and pleating style vary between dim sum kitchens, but the classic version is a whole or coarsely chopped shrimp filling with a visible pink colour through the wrapper.

How it's served

Served hot in the steaming basket, usually four or three pieces per portion, as part of a dim sum meal.
Eaten with the fingers or chopsticks in one or two bites, with light soy sauce, chilli oil, or a vinegar dip on the side.
Traditionally ordered in a group, shared from the central baskets on a dim sum trolley or table.
Often followed by other steamed items such as siu mai or cheung fun.

Name the filling: shrimp (har gow) and state that the wrapper is made from wheat starch and tapioca starch, not wheat flour dough.
Flag CRUSTACEANS (shrimp) as the main allergen; the classic wrapper contains no wheat, egg or milk, but check whether the filling uses pork fat or lard.
Common variants to state: chive or bamboo shoot added to the filling, and whether the dumplings are fried, which is not classic.
Describe the cooking method as steamed in bamboo baskets.

Typical ingredients

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Frequently asked questions

What is Har gow?: Cantonese steamed dumpling of translucent wheat and tapioca starch wrapper enclosing whole or chopped shrimp, pleated into a crescent. A staple of dim sum.
Where does Har gow come from?: Har gow — country of origin: China.
What is Har gow made of?: Shrimp, wheat starch, tapioca starch, bamboo shoot, pork fat, sesame oil, salt, sugar.
Which allergens does Har gow contain?: Contains cereals and gluten-containing products. Contains crustaceans and crustacean products. Contains sesame seeds and sesame products.
What is Har gow also known as?: Hargow, Xiajiao, Shrimp dumplings, Ha gow.