Shrimp Chive Dumplings Recipe (Gow Choi Gaau)

What can I say about these Shrimp and Chive Dumplings? Once you bite it, the sweetness of shrimp is splashing into your mouth with a hint of garlicky aroma. Who doesn’t love dumplings? Almost everybody I know love dumplings. I like all kind of dumplings, Western and/or Asian style work for me 🙂

I didn’t make a truly Chinese dumplings here as I did a short cut for wrappers as well as using sambal for dipping :). Dumpling skins are easy to be found at most Asian markets in town. But, I’m not gonna stop you for trying to make the skins from scratch.  I suggested you to follow a post of Use Real Butter for step by step dumpling wrappers/skins.

Thanks to Penny of Jeroxie for letting me know the Cantonese name for these dumplings.  Either pan fried or steamed methods can be used to cook these Shrimp and Chive Dumplings.

What kind of chives did I use here? Chinese chive. It is known as garlic chive, nira, ku chai, he, kucai. So far, those are the only names that I can remember for Chinese chive. It has a stronger garlicky aroma than regular chive.

If you are interested to have a Indonesia Eats calendar with recipes and pictures, please click 2011 Celebrating the Joy of Indonesian Foods. Also, there is still a time to win a package of Soy Eco prize at So Nice Giveaway.

Shrimp and Chive Dumplings
– Gow Choi Gaau –

Ingredients:
340 g (3/4 lb) peeled and deveined shrimp
50 g (2 oz) Chinese chives, cut into 1-cm (0.4 inch) long
2/3 tsp ground dried shrimp (ebi)
1/4 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp tapioca starch
1/3 sesame oil
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp each salt and sugar
round dumpling wrappers/skins
oil for pan frying
water

Methods:
1.  Rinse shrimps with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

2.  Cut shrimps into 3 smaller pieces.  Transfer into a bowl, add chives and mix well. Marinate the filling with the rest of the ingredients for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

3.  Lay a dumpling skin on a flat surface. Brush the edges of skin with a little water. Place the dumpling skin in your palm. Place 1 teaspoon of filling into dough, being careful to avoid the edges. Fold into half to make a crescent moon. Using your thumb, form little pleats on the top edge of the crescent, and press the two layers together to seal. Repeat the same until the filling is used up.

4.   At medium to low heat, put the pan on stove and add some oil.  Transfer all dumplings into the pan.  Let fry for 1 minute until the bottoms are light golden brown. Pour 1/8 cup of water into the pan and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid. Turn heat to medium and let the dumplings steam for 2 minutes. Open lid and let the remaining liquid cook off about 1 minute.  Serve with any of your favourite dipping sauce.