Ingredients:

  • 1 cup wheat starch (approx. 120g)
  • 1/2 cup tapioca starch (approx. 80g)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (approx. 3g)
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola) (approx. 14g)
  • 1 lb fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped (approx. 454g)
  • 1/4 cup canned bamboo shoots, drained (approx. 33g)
  • 1 Tbsp lard (or vegetable shortening) (approx. 13g)
  • 1 tsp mixed spices (e.g., white pepper, ginger)
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp ice water (for slurry)

Instructions:

  1. Sift the wheat starch, tapioca starch, and salt into a heat-safe bowl. Bring 1 cup of water to a rolling boil and immediately pour all of it over the dry starches. Stir aggressively and quickly with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, lumpy mass forms.
  2. When the dough is still warm but cool enough to handle (after about 5 minutes), pour in the oil. Knead briefly for 3 to 5 minutes until a smooth, pliable ball forms. Immediately wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap to prevent drying, and set aside.
  3. Smash two-thirds of the chopped shrimp lightly with the side of your knife to create cohesion; keep the remaining one-third whole. Mix all filling ingredients (shrimp, bamboo shoots, lard, spices, wine, sugar). Separately, make a slurry with the cornstarch and ice water. Add the slurry to the filling and mix vigorously until tacky. Chill the filling for 20 minutes to firm up the fat.
  4. Cut the rested dough into 30 even pieces, keeping the unused portions tightly covered. Use a small rolling pin to roll each piece into a paper-thin, 3.5-inch circle. The edges should be almost transparent.
  5. Place one teaspoon of chilled filling in the center of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over, creating a half-moon. Starting at one end, create 7 to 10 tiny, overlapping pleats along the curved edge. Seal tightly, ensuring the dumplings can stand upright.
  6. Line your bamboo steamer with perforated parchment or cabbage leaves. Place the dumplings inside, making sure they do not touch. Bring water to a rolling boil in your wok or pot. Place the steamer over the boiling water and steam tightly covered for 8 to 10 minutes, until the wrapper transitions from opaque white to transparent. Serve immediately.