Har gow

Har gow

Alternative names	Xia jiao, also spelled ha gau, ha gaau, ha gao, ha gow, or other variants, Vietnamese "há cảo"
Course	Dim sum
Place of origin	Guangdong, China
Region or state	Cantonese-speaking region
Main ingredients	Wheat starch, tapioca starch, shrimp, cooked pork fat, bamboo shoots, scallions, cornstarch, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings
Cookbook: Har gow   Media: Har gow

Har gow (sometimes anglicized as "ha gow", "haukau", "hakao"; Chinese: 蝦餃; Cantonese Yale: hāgáau; pinyin: xiājiǎo) is a traditional Cantonese dumpling served in dim sum.^[1]

Name[]

The dumpling is sometimes called a shrimp bonnet for its pleated shape. This dish is often served together with siumaai; when served in such a manner the two items are collectively referred to as hagaau-shaomai (Chinese: 蝦餃燒賣; pinyin: xiājiǎo shāomài; Cantonese Yale: hāgáau sīumáai).^[2][3]

Har Gow, Siu Mai, Char Siu Bao, and Egg tarts are considered the classic dishes of Cantonese cuisine and referred to as The Four Heavenly Kings. (Chinese: 四大天王; pinyin: sì dà tiān wáng; Cantonese Yale: sei daaih tīn wòhng).^[4][5]

The name in cantonese also means "wedding gown" as the shape of the dumpling resembles the traditional gown worn by a woman on her wedding day^[6]

Description[]

These shrimp dumplings are transparent and smooth. The prawn dumplings first appeared in Guangzhou outskirts near the creek bazaar Deli. This dish is said to be the one that the skill of a dim sum chef is judged on. Traditionally, ha gow should have at least seven and preferably ten or more pleats imprinted on its wrapper. The skin must be thin and translucent, yet be sturdy enough not to break when picked up with chopsticks. It must not stick to the paper, container or the other ha gow in the basket. The shrimp must be cooked well, but not overcooked. The amount of meat should be generous, yet not so much that it cannot be eaten in one bite.

See also[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Har gow.

• Dim sum
• Shumai

References[]