Crystal dumplings (水晶饺子, shuǐ jīng jiǎozi) got their name from the beautiful translucent look of the dumpling wrappers. Although not quite as common or popular as crowd favorite, har gow shrimp dumplings, you’ll see these beauties on carts in restaurants with a bigger selection of dim sum. Delightfully chewy and delicate in flavor, you’ll want to learn how to make this Cantonese dim sum favorite at home.
While crystal dumplings are similar to har gow dumplings, har gow are made with opaque white wrappers. It’s the addition of potato starch that makes the translucent look of crystal dumplings possible. Plus, potato starch also gives the dumpling wrappers that pleasant chewy texture that is a hallmark of a well-made dumpling. If all this talk about various starches confuses you, check out our rice and flours ingredients page for more information!
Wheat starch is also used for Har Gow dumplings and is what gives the wrapper a more sturdy body.
Let’s talk filling. Stuffed with seasoned pork, fragrant Shiitake mushrooms, carrots and freshly cooked bright green spinach, crystal dumplings are as pretty as they are delicious. While the vibrant colors definitely make for an impressive presentation, once you bite into one of these tasty little dumplings, you’ll find that you may just have a new favorite Chinese dim sum!
But if you still find that you love these crystal dumplings and har gow in equal measure, you can use this crystal dumpling wrapper recipe with our har gow shrimp dumpling filling and vice versa. One wrapper––two fillings!
For the crystal dumpling skins:
- ½ cup + 5 teaspoons potato starch (93 grams)
- ½ cup wheat starch (64 grams), plus 1 cup (128 grams) –– divided
- ½ cup room temperature water (112 grams)
- 1⅓ cup boiling water (300 grams)
For the crystal dumpling filling:
- 4 medium dried Shiitake mushrooms (15 grams), soaked in hot water for 1 hour and finely diced
- 1½ cups spinach or other stemless leafy greens (100 grams)
- 1 small carrot, finely diced (50 grams)
- 3 ounces finely minced pork (85 grams)
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt (you can use less if you plan on dipping these in soy sauce or various chili oils)
- Pinch of ground white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1½ teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
It takes three short steps to make the crystal dumpling wrappers correctly, but follow these steps carefully as it’s deceptively simple. It’s also best to weigh these ingredients on a digital kitchen scale for added precision to ensure success!
Step 1: Mix the 93 grams potato starch, 64 grams wheat starch, and ½ cup water in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
Step 2: Bring 1⅓ cups of water to a boil, preferably in a nonstick pan. Once the water is boiling, remix the potato and wheat starch mixture, and slowly pour it into the boiling water while stirring quickly with a spatula or wooden spoon.
If you’re not using a non-stick pan, we found using a metal spatula works better. Continue to stir and cook the mixture until it solidifies (5 to 10 seconds). Remove from the heat.
Step 3: Pour 1 cup of wheat starch onto a flat surface, and scrape all of the cooked dough from the pan on top.
Use the spatula since the dough is still hot and sticky.
Slowly work the dough into the wheat starch, until the dough has cooled enough to work with your hands.
Then knead the dough and flour together until you have a relatively smooth ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel to rest.
Now it’s time to make the crystal dumpling filling.
Finely dice your rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. In a wok or medium-sized pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. While that’s happening, prepare a bowl of ice water.
Add the spinach and/or leafy greens to the boiling water, and stir for 30 seconds until just cooked through. Use a Chinese spider or metal strainer to transfer the blanched greens to the ice water bath. Once cool, strain the greens into a colander and squeeze out the excess water. Set aside on a cutting board.
Next, add the diced carrots and diced mushrooms to the boiling water, and stir for 60 seconds or until just softened. Transfer to the ice water bath.
Finely chop the cooled spinach greens and put them in a bowl along with the drained diced carrots and mushrooms. Add the minced pork, sugar, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, oyster sauce, vegetable oil, and cornstarch. Mix until well combined.
Roll out the crystal dumpling dough into a long cigar, and cut it into 12-gram pieces. Roll each piece out into a round disc about 3 to 3½ inches in diameter.
Here’s where you can get fancy with folding your crystal dumplings or simply fold the dough in a half circle. Just make sure you pinch the openings closed firmly!
You can fold them in the shape of har gow or make the standard pleats you would for most of our dumpling recipes. We decided to use a pleated fold with the pleats at the top, which is common at the dim sum restaurants that serve up these crystal dumplings.
For more detailed dumpling folding photos, instructions and different ways to wrap dumplings, see Sarah’s post on Four Ways to Fold Chinese dumplings.
The finished dumplings can be placed on a perforated sheet of parchment paper (a large square or on individual squares) brushed with oil–set on a bamboo steamer, or a heat-proof plate that fits into a pot / metal steamer. See our post on how to set up a steamer if you’re not familiar with steaming foods in Chinese cooking.
Steam the dumplings over high heat for 3-4 minutes, until translucent.
Serve these crystal dumplings immediately with some hot chili oil on the side! These crystal dumplings do reheat in the steamer very nicely after refrigeration, but it’s always best to eat them fresh.
If you want a dipping sauce with a little more flavor, check out our traditional dumpling sauce recipe.
Steamed Crystal Dumplings, a Dim Sum Classic
Ingredients
For the crystal dumpling skins:
- ½ cup + 5 teaspoons potato starch (93g)
- ½ cup wheat starch (64g, plus 1 cup/128g, divided)
- ½ cup room temperature water (112g)
- 1⅓ cup boiling water (300g)
For the crystal dumpling filling:
- 4 medium dried Shiitake mushrooms (15g, soaked in hot water for 1 hour and finely diced)
- 1½ cups spinach or other stemless leafy greens (100g)
- 1 small carrot (50g, finely diced)
- 3 ounces finely minced pork (85g)
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt (you can use less if you plan on dipping these in soy sauce or various chili oils)
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1½ teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Mix the 93 grams potato starch, 64 grams wheat starch, and ½ cup water in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Bring 1⅓ cups of water to a boil, preferably in a nonstick pan. Once the water is boiling, remix the potato and wheat starch mixture, and slowly pour it into the boiling water while stirring quickly with a spatula or wooden spoon. If you’re not using a non-stick pan, we found using a metal spatula works better. Continue to stir and cook the mixture until it solidifies (5 to 10 seconds). Remove from the heat.
- Pour 1 cup of wheat starch onto a flat surface, and scrape all of the cooked dough from the pan on top. Use the spatula since the dough is still hot and sticky. Slowly work the dough into the wheat starch, until the dough has cooled enough to work with your hands. Then knead the dough and flour together until you have a smooth ball. Cover with a clean kitchen towel to rest.
- Now it’s time to make the crystal dumpling filling.
- Finely dice your rehydrated mushrooms. In a wok or medium-sized pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. While that’s happening, prepare a bowl of ice water.
- Add the spinach and/or leafy greens to the boiling water, and stir for 30 seconds until just cooked through. Use a Chinese spider or metal strainer to transfer the blanched greens to the ice water bath. Once cool, strain the greens into a colander and squeeze out the excess water. Set aside on a cutting board.
- Next, add the diced carrots and diced mushrooms to the boiling water, and stir for 60 seconds or until just softened. Transfer to the ice water bath.
- Finely chop the cooled spinach greens and put them in a bowl along with the drained diced carrots and mushrooms. Add the minced pork, sugar, salt, white pepper, sesame oil, oyster sauce, vegetable oil, and cornstarch. Mix until well combined.
- Roll out the crystal dumpling dough into a long cigar, and cut it into 12-gram pieces. Roll each piece out into a round disc about 3 to 3½ inches in diameter.
- Here’s where you can get fancy with folding your crystal dumplings or simply fold the dough in a half circle. Just make sure you pinch the openings closed firmly! You can fold them in the shape of har gow or make the standard pleats you would for most of our dumpling recipes. We decided to use a pleated fold with the pleats at the top, which is common at the dim sum restaurants that serve up these crystal dumplings.
- The finished dumplings can be placed on a perforated sheet of parchment paper (a large square or on individual squares) brushed with oil--set on a bamboo steamer, or a heat-proof plate that fits into a pot / metal steamer. Steam the dumplings over high heat for 3-4 minutes, until translucent.
- Serve these crystal dumplings immediately with some hot chili oil on the side! These crystal dumplings do reheat in the steamer very nicely after refrigeration, but it’s always best to eat them fresh.
Notes
Nutrition
Dana says
Hi, I have enjoyed trying different recipes from your website. I was wondering if it was possible to use the stand mixer dough attachment to knead the dough? Thank you in advance for your reply!
Bill says
Hi Dana, I have not tried that, probably because it may be a bit overkill. There’s not a lot of kneading for this dough required.
Dana says
Thank you, Bill, for your quick reply.
I made this dough recipe the other day but I was hoping for a more chewy texture. I’ve read other recipes that include the use of tapioca starch. Would that give it more chew?
Antony Cruz says
Hi, thank you for the recipe. The nutrition values mentioned is for per piece or per serving?
Bill says
Hi Antony, it’s per serving
Sue says
I remember my grandmother making a similar type of steamed dumpling as a kid. Instead of rolling out the dumpling skin I would recommend what my ngin ngin used which is a tortilla press. Be sure to press the ball of dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to prevent sticking. East and fast.
Bill says
Hi Sue, I remember my father used to use the same method when I was a kid. Thanks for bring back that memory!
Ashley says
I grew up in LA and my Iranian father and Ecuadorian mother have always loved going to China Town. Everyfamily gathering was held at our favorite Chinese restaurants and at least 2 weekends a month and we would go eat noodles for breakfast at our favorite hole in the wall, stop by the bakery for red bean paste stuffed balls rolled with seasame seeds ( what are they called?), and whole roasted duck to take home. Thanks to this amazing blog you have demystified so many of the foods I have grown up eating but never cooked at home.
These dumplings are one of them! My kids had fun helping me make them.
Bill says
HI Ashley, sounds like you had a wonderful childhood with lots of great authentic Chinese food! Glad you and your kids enjoyed these crystal dumplings :)
Goedon Buckle says
It seems to me that there is not enough steam time to properly cook the minced pork. Am I mistaken or was there another step to precook the pork prior to putting it in the filling?
Bill says
Hi Goedon, the meat is uncooked, but the filling should be at room temperature. The steamer should have plenty of water and steaming should be done at high heat. You can also increase the steaming time by a couple of minutes if you’re unsure if the pork is cooked.
Stephanie says
Hi, may I know what is the nutritional value of this?
Bill says
Hi Stephanie, we have not added nutritional info to our recipes yet but hope to in the future!
Ram hari khatry says
Lovely dim sum recipe thanks los
Bill says
:)
saviour thomas says
thank you so mush, I love dim sum and my children to …good recipe and so informative with picture
well done chefs ……
Bill says
You’re welcome Saviour, hope you enjoy them!
Lidia says
Please help………we have company coming to visit and they can not eat glutin, meaning they can’t eat Wheat Flour. Does anyone happen to know if there is another flour that is Gluten Free that can be substituted for this??? Thank you.
Bill says
Hi Lidia, my research tells me that wheat starch has very little gluten but it depends on how sensitive your guests are. The dough recipe is very finicky, so I don’t have any recommendations for any substitutions at the moment.
JustTabandMe says
You probably know better than I, however my daughters family uses cassava flour because they practice a lectins free diet for my autistic grandson. I know she makes tortillas & pizza dough out of it.
Bill says
Interesting, and I did not know that, so thanks for sharing that information!
Vickie says
These dumplings are one of my fav dim sum eats! Would it be possible to freeze the freshly made ones (before steaming/cooking them)? Thanks!
Bill says
Hi Vickie, yes freezing would work. Just make sure they are sealed well. I would use them within a month.
T says
Is it possible to make the dumplings up to Step 11 (i.e. folded, filled and ready), keep in the fridge overnight and then steam in the morning? Have consulted several of your dumpling recipes and wondered if this was possible as a way of pre-prep in advance of a meal.
Bill says
Hi Tom, these dumplings are best made fresh. I have not tried storing them uncooked or freezing them uncooked like our other flour-based dumpling recipes. I imagine storing them uncooked overnight in the fridge would work, but honestly I’m not sure about freezing them. I’ll have to try it and let you know, but please share your results if you experiment. ;-)