Har gow

Har gow

Alternative names	Xia jiao, also spelled ha gau, ha gaau, ha gao, ha gow, or other variants
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
Media: Har gow

Har gow
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	蝦餃
Simplified Chinese	虾饺
Jyutping	haa1gaau2
Hanyu Pinyin	xiājiǎo
Literal meaning	shrimp dumpling
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin xiājiǎo IPA [ɕjátɕjàʊ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization hāgáau Jyutping haa1gaau2 Sidney Lau ha1gaau2 IPA [ha˥kaw˧˥] Southern Min Hokkien POJ hê-kiáu hoê-kiáu
Thai name
Thai	ฮะเก๋า [háʔ.kǎw]
RTGS	hakao

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

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-siumaai (Chinese: 蝦餃燒賣; pinyin: xiājiǎo shāomài; Cantonese Yale: hāgáau sīumáai).

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

• Dim sum
• Shumai