These delicate, translucent shrimp dumplings are a dim sum classic that showcases tender prawns in a silky, chewy wrapper. The combination of fresh seafood and perfectly pleated pastry creates an irresistible bite that melts in your mouth and tastes authentically restaurant-quality.
⏱️60 min
📊Medium
👥4 servings
🍽️Starter
seafoodfamilyfestive
Ingredients
400 glarge shrimp
100 gbamboo shoots
100 gtapioca starch
50 gwheat starch
150 mlboiling water
0.5 tspsalt
0.25 tspwhite pepper
1 tbspsesame oil
Instructions
1PREPARE THE SHRIMP: Peel and devein 400g of large shrimp, then rinse under cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels. Finely mince the shrimp into a paste-like texture, being careful not to over-process as you want some texture remaining. This step is crucial as wet shrimp will make the filling too loose and difficult to work with.
2PREPARE THE FILLING: Finely dice 100g of bamboo shoots and combine them with the minced shrimp. Add 0.5 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp white pepper, and 1 tbsp sesame oil, stirring well to incorporate all seasonings evenly. The filling should be moist but not wet, with a light paste-like consistency that holds together when squeezed gently.
3MAKE THE DOUGH: Mix 100g tapioca starch with 50g wheat starch in a large bowl. Slowly add 150ml of boiling water while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or chopsticks, being careful of the steam. The mixture will come together into a shaggy dough; once it's cool enough to handle (about 2-3 minutes), knead it for 5-7 minutes until smooth and slightly translucent, adding more tapioca starch if it becomes too sticky.
4SHAPE THE DUMPLINGS: Divide the dough into 16-20 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Place a ball of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and flatten with your palm or the bottom of a glass into a thin, semi-transparent round about 8cm in diameter. The wrapper should be thin enough to see through slightly but strong enough not to tear—practice makes perfect with this technique.
5FILL AND PLEAT THE DUMPLINGS: Place 1 tbsp of filling in the center of each wrapper, then fold the dough in half to create a half-moon shape. Using your thumbs and index fingers, create 4-5 pleats along the curved edge by folding the dough toward the center, pressing gently so the pleats stick together without sealing the dumpling completely. Each dumpling should have a distinctive crescent shape with visible pleats and a small opening at the top.
6STEAM THE DUMPLINGS: Lightly oil a bamboo steamer basket or parchment paper squares, then arrange the dumplings in a single layer without touching. Steam over boiling water for 8-10 minutes until the filling is cooked through and the wrapper becomes slightly more translucent and bouncy when gently pressed with a chopstick. The dumplings are done when the shrimp filling is fully opaque pink and the texture is just set but still tender. Serve immediately with soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil for dipping.