Shrimp and Chive Crystal Dumplings

Dim Sumday is back.

Happy (early) Dim Sumday! Dim Sumday is meant for Sunday, but I figured you should have the recipe before Sunday so you have time to go grocery shopping. Also, Dim Sumday can be any day of the week if you try hard enough.

Dim Sumdays is my favorite (and only) series and I’m so happy to be bringing it back with these Shrimp and Chive Crystal Dumplings. Just like going out for dim sum, sharing these recipes is a really wonderful ritual and I love having my freezer stocked with lo mai fan and dumplings for an impromptu dim sum feast at home.

These Shrimp and Chive Crystal Dumplings are very similar to Har Gow (shrimp crystal dumplings), which may be the most iconic dim sum dumpling. These are also a fairly traditional take on the dumpling but with a small addition of sambal for a touch of heat.

If you’ve never made crystal dumpling dough before I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out all the starches for the most consistent results. And make sure your water for the dough is really really hot! I taught a class for these dumplings before and I was talking way too long and the water was no longer boiling hot, which resulted in the strangest consistency of dough that I would only compare to flubber. Otherwise, crystal dumplings are so delicious and satisfying to make. Take your time with the pleats and be gentle with it. Eventually you’ll have a steamer full of beautiful gem-like dumps!

---

shrimp and chive crystal dumplings

makes 32 dumplings

Filling: 

1 1/2 lb shrimp, deveined and peeled

1 cup chinese garlic chives, finely chopped

3 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons sambal

1 tsp coarse salt

½ tsp white pepper

Dough:

120g (1 cup) sweet potato starch, more for dusting

60g (1/2 cup) wheat starch

90g (3/4 cup) tapioca starch

1/4 tsp salt

200g (slightly less than 1 cup) boiling water

25g (2 tbsp) canola oil

Steps:

1. To make the shrimp filling: finely chop the shrimp until it resembles a thick paste with a few larger chunks for texture. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the chives, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal, salt, and white pepper. Using a flexible spatula, mix until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes or until ready to be filled.

2. To make the crystal dumpling dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine sweet potato starch, wheat starch, tapioca starch, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour the boiling water over the starches and without mixing, cover immediately with plastic wrap. Allow the boiling water to steam the starches for 10 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and add the canola oil. Using a flexible spatula, mix until a crumbly dough forms. Start kneading with your hands until you have a very smooth dough, 4 minutes.

3. Divide the dough in half, keeping one half well wrapped in plastic wrap. Working with one half at a time, roll out the dough into a 1-inch thick log. With a bench scraper, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. The easiest way to do this is by continually dividing the dough and dough portions in half until you have 16 pieces. Working with one piece of dough at time, while the remaining dough pieces are covered with a clean towel, roll into a smooth ball. On a work surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, with your palm flatten the ball of dough and with a dowel rolling pin, roll out into a 3-inch round. Lift the round of dough off the worksurface, you can use the bench scrape to help if needed, and fill with a tablespoon of the shrimp filling. Carefully pleat the dumpling closed and place the formed dumpling directly onto a bamboo steamer or a rimmed baking sheet dusted with starch. Repeat with remaining dough and shrimp filling.

4. Prepare your steamer set up and bring 2” of water to a boil. Light oil the steamer and arrange the dumplings on the bamboo steamer, spaced at least 1/2” apart. Steam for 7 minutes. Place the steamer basket on a wire rack and remove the lid. The dumplings will be sticky and opaque at first, but will become more translucent and less sticky as they cool. Allow the dumplings to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.