Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you go

For 30 steamed dumplings

For the ha kao dough

• 150g tapioca starch (or cornstarch if needed)
• 100g rice flour (or wheat starch)
• 250-300ml boiling water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp neutral oil

For the filling

• 350g cooked shrimp (or substitutes)
• 6-8 stems fresh cilantro
• 2 cm fresh ginger
• 1 handful grated carrot (optional but delicious)
• 2 chive stems (or 2 shallots or Chinese scallions)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• 1 to 2 tbsp Mirin
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (optional)
• Salt, pepper

For the sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 dash sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger
• or my spring roll sauce

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Preparing the ha kao dough

This is a somewhat delicate recipe to master. If you’re new to dim sum, I recommend starting with gyozas.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the starch, flour, and salt. Add the water while stirring until you get a dough, then pour in the oil. Knead with a wooden spoon to obtain a smooth, pliable dough. Let rest for about ten minutes before shaping into a log and cutting into 30 pieces of approximately 15-20g each (cover with a kitchen towel so they don’t dry out).

These proportions work for me, but don’t panic if adjustments are needed - if your dough is too wet, you may need to add a bit more starch, and if it’s too dry, add a little water while continuing to knead until you achieve a workable consistency that doesn’t stick.

Preparing the filling

2. Put all the filling ingredients in a food processor. Blend and transfer to a bowl to refrigerate.

Shaping the ha kao

3. Take a piece of dough and flatten it into a disc about 7cm (2¾ inches) in diameter. Place it in your palm and put 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper, then fold as shown in the photo, tucking, pleating, and pinching to seal.

Cooking the Ha kao

4. In a bamboo steamer, arrange them side by side on parchment paper with small holes poked through (you can also use lettuce leaves) so the steam can pass through. When the water in the pot comes to a boil, place the covered bamboo steamer on top and steam for 5 minutes. Don’t cook them longer to prevent the filling from drying out - it cooks very quickly.

5. While cooking, mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and serve! They’re also delicious with Sriracha sauce or my famous spring roll sauce.

Ready to enjoy!

With this same filling you can also make fried Chinese wontons:

Tips and variations

• It’s the starch that gives you that characteristic translucent dough.

• For a vegetarian version, you can replace the shrimp with mushrooms, grated carrots and zucchini that have been sautéed in a pan.

• For a chicken version, you can use the same filling as these steamed dumplings made with wonton wrappers - equally excellent.

• Some add a handful of chopped bamboo shoots to the filling.

• The ingredient list may seem complicated if you’re not used to cooking Asian dishes. However, these are pantry staples, and if you enjoy this type of cuisine, you’ll have the opportunity to use everything again in multiple recipes.

• By the way, all the ingredients used in this recipe are easily found in most supermarkets, in the Asian aisle.