Har gow

(Redirected from Ha gow)

Har gow (Chinese: 蝦餃; pinyin: xiājiǎo; Jyutping: haa1 gaau2; lit. 'shrimp jiao'), also anglicized as ha gow, hau kau, ha kao, is a traditional Cantonese dumpling served as dim sum.[1] It is made of shrimp meat, and steamed in a flour wrapper. After cooking, the wrapper becomes somewhat translucent, and therefore har gow is sometimes called crystal shrimp dumplings (水晶蝦餃).

Har gow
Har gow in a bamboo steamer
Alternative namesXia jiao, also spelled ha gau, ha gaau, ha gao, ha gow, or other variants, Vietnamese "há cảo"
CourseDim sum
Place of originGuangdong, China
Region or stateCantonese-speaking region
Main ingredientsWheat starch, tapioca starch, shrimp, cooked pork fat, bamboo shoots, scallions, cornstarch, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings
Har gow
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese蝦餃
Simplified Chinese虾饺
Jyutpinghaa¹ gaau²
Cantonese Yalehā gáau
Hanyu Pinyinxiājiǎo
Literal meaningshrimp dumpling
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyinxiājiǎo
IPA[ɕjátɕjàʊ]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanizationhā gáau
Jyutpinghaa¹ gaau²
Southern Min
Hokkien POJhê-kiáu
hoê-kiáu
Vietnamese name
Vietnamesehá cảo
Thai name
Thaiฮะเก๋า [háʔ.kǎw]
RTGShakao

Name

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The dumpling is sometimes called a shrimp bonnet for its pleated shape. This dish is often served together with shumai; when served in such a manner the two items are collectively referred to as har gow-siu mai (Chinese: 蝦餃燒賣; pinyin: xiājiǎo shāomài; Jyutping: haa1 gaau2 siu1 maai2; Cantonese Yale: hā gáau sīu máai).[2][3]

Har gow, shumai, cha 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]

Description

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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

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References

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  1. ^ Hsiung, Deh-Ta. Simonds, Nina. Lowe, Jason. [2005] (2005). The food of China: a journey for food lovers. Bay Books. ISBN 978-0-681-02584-4. p41.
  2. ^ Big5.China.com.cn. "China.com.cn." 廣州茶飲. Retrieved on 2009-03-17.
  3. ^ Yahoo.com. "Yahoo.com Archived 2008-04-04 at the Wayback Machine." 街坊盅頭飯. Retrieved on 2009-03-15.
  4. ^ Talks, Honest Food (2020-02-05). "Dim Sum, a Beginner's Guide to the Cantonese Cuisine". Honest Food Talks. Retrieved 2020-10-30.
  5. ^ "广州早茶"四大天王"有哪些?". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 2020-10-30.