Learn how to make this delicious dim sum favorite, ham sui gok. They are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside and filled with savory meat filling. Step-by-step instructions are included.
Prepare the meat filling (can be done the day before):
Combine all ingredients for seasonings and set aside. Preheat a large skillet. Add cooking oil. Saute shallots and ginger for about 1 minute. Add shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and chye poh and continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes. Add the pork followed by the seasonings. Use the cooking spatula to break the meat lumps into pieces. Cook until the meat is cooked through
Stir the cornstarch with water to make a cornstarch slurry. Pour into the meat mixture and cook until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and let it cools down completely before using. You can also keep it in the fridge once it has cooled down completely until you are ready to use it
Prepare the dough:
Put wheat starch (tang mian) in a mixing bowl. Pour a boiling hot water (it has to be boiling hot). Use a spoon to stir and combine. Add the sugar, glutinous rice flour, and half of the water and knead the dough. Add the water gradually until you can form a rough dough then add the oil and continue to knead into a smooth elastic dough
You can roll the dough into a long log and then cut into 24 pieces or you can just divide the dough into 24 equal portion
Fill and shape:
Work with one dough at a time and keep the rest covered to prevent drying. Flatten the dough into about 3-4 inch round and then form into a bowl-like. Scoop about 1 Tbsp of filling on the center and then gather both sides and pinch to seal securely on top. They look almost like oval with slightly pointy ends (like American football). Repeat with the rest and keep them covered in damp cloth
Frying:
Preheat about 2 inches of oil. When you dip a skewer or chopstick into the oil and you see steady bubbles around it, the oil is ready. Try to fry in small batches (3-4 at a time) to avoid the dumplings sticking to each other. They can be quite sticky at first. Fry over medium-low heat to avoid the skin getting too dark (there is sugar in the dough) on the outside but the inside is still not cooked through. You can move the dumplings around as they are frying so they cook evenly and won't stick to each other. Once the dumplings start to float to the top you can increase the heat a little bit and let them fry until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oil into an absorbent paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the dumplings