Har Gow

also called har gao · ha gow · haa gaau · xia jiao · 蝦餃 · shrimp dumpling · crystal shrimp dumpling

The table

3/4 cup(180 mL)boiling waterstir the boiling water in, knead hot, rest 10 minroll 24 rounds, pleat the near edge onlysteam 6 min, until the skin goes translucent
1 cup(120 g)wheat starch
1/4 cup(30 g)tapioca starch
1/4 tspfine salt
1 Tbs(or vegetable shortening)lard
12 oz(340 g; peeled, half chopped and half left whole)raw shrimpstir one way until tacky, chill 30 min
1 oz(30 g; finely diced)pork fatback
1/4 cup(35 g; finely diced)bamboo shoots
2 tspcornstarch
1 tspsugar
1/2 tspkosher salt
1 tsptoasted sesame oil
1 tspShaoxing wine
1/4 tspwhite pepper
1 tsppeanut oil
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.16 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1stir the boiling water in, knead hot, rest 10 min

2stir one way until tacky, chill 30 min

4steam 6 min, until the skin goes translucent

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 36 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

One of the 4 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 1 hr 30 min.

  1. stir the boiling water in, knead hot, rest 10 min

    10 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. stir one way until tacky, chill 30 min

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  3. roll 24 rounds, pleat the near edge only

    not timed30 min in

  4. steam 6 min, until the skin goes translucent

    6 minwalk away30 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need bamboo steamer

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Har Gow
>> category: Dumplings & Rolls
>> tags: shrimp, dumpling, chinese, steamed, wheat starch
>> counters: Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: har gao, ha gow, haa gaau, xia jiao, 蝦餃, shrimp dumpling, crystal shrimp dumpling
>> pairs-with: siu-mai
>> servings: 4
>> time: 1 hr 30 min
>> step.1: stir the boiling water in, knead hot, rest 10 min
>> step.2: stir one way until tacky, chill 30 min
>> step.3: roll 24 rounds, pleat the near edge only
>> step.4: steam 6 min, until the skin goes translucent

Stir @boiling water{3/4%cup}(180 mL) into @wheat starch{1%cup}(120 g), @tapioca starch{1/4%cup}(30 g) and @fine salt{1/4%tsp} all at once, work @lard{1%Tbs}(or vegetable shortening) in while the dough is still too hot to be comfortable, and ~rest{10%min} under an upturned bowl. Boiling water is what gelatinises wheat starch — warm water gives a dough that cracks at the pleat and steams up opaque.

Stir @raw shrimp{12%oz}(340 g; peeled, half chopped and half left whole) with @pork fatback{1%oz}(30 g; finely diced), @bamboo shoots{1/4%cup}(35 g; finely diced), @cornstarch{2%tsp}, @sugar{1%tsp}, @kosher salt{1/2%tsp}, @toasted sesame oil{1%tsp}, @Shaoxing wine{1%tsp} and @white pepper{1/4%tsp} in one direction until it turns tacky, then ~chill{30%min}.

Roll @&(~2)dough{} into a rope, cut it into 24 pieces, and press each one out to a 3-in round under an oiled cleaver, then close @&(~1)filling{} inside, pleating the near edge and leaving the far one plain so the pleats stand up.

Steam @&(~1)dumplings{} well apart in a #bamboo steamer{} brushed with @peanut oil{1%tsp}, over water at a hard boil, for ~steam{6%min}.