Decoding dim sums: What’s the difference between Siu Mai and Har Gao?

Siu Mai and Har Gao are two varieties of dim sum, but they differ in several ways. Celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee listed out some of the key differences.

By: Lifestyle Desk
New Delhi | October 26, 2024 07:00 PM IST

3 min read

Momos, dim sums, dumplings, and potstickers are all types of dumplings (Source: Pixabay)

Soft, fluffy dumplings dipped in spicy chili oil or homemade peanut chutney make for the perfect between meal snack. Have you ever wondered why dumplings have different names?

Ved Gautam, executive chef at For Earth’s Sake Cafe said that dim sums are the most versatile and nuanced of all dumplings, mainly because of the techniques required to make the various doughs and then shape them. “The wrap or skin can be made from various starches –– potato, tapioca corn or rice or flours. While each shape has its own name, all of them are very soft and delicate in texture and are served with dipping sauces like soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil,” he said.

What’s a Siu Mai?

“Siu Mai, also known as a Shumai, is a dish of tiny uncooked appetizers (dim sums) that comes from the Cantonese cuisine,” said chef Ishijyot Surri, executive chef and founder, Mulk, Miniyaturk & SJI Gourmet.

Cantonese version: Finely minced pork and small pieces of shrimp with shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots or water chestnuts.

Northern China version: Usually, lamb/beef are used in these recipes and these ones are therefore very flavourful.

Japanese version of Shumai: Quite high in meat content with low levels of shrimp, and is served with gherkin mustard and soy.

What’s a Har Gao?

Originated from the province of Guangdong, it includes the use of shrimp as the principal ingredient adding bamboo shoots or pork’s fat for more taste and moisture. Scallops or lobsters are some of the exotic seafood that innovators bring forth in varying Har gao, while some include luxurious ingredients like truffle.

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Har Gao’s wrapper is translucent and made from wheat and tapioca starch, giving it a chewy yet delicate texture. (Pic source: Freepik)

How are they different from one another?

Siu Mai and Har Gao are two varieties of dim sum, but they differ in several ways. Celebrity chef Ananya Banerjee listed out some of their key differences.

Filling:

Siu Mai: This dim sum usually consists of a mixture of ground pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and sometimes other ingredients like bamboo shoots or water chestnuts. The flavours are more savoury with a hint of sweetness from the pork and shrimp.

Har Gao: The filling is primarily shrimp, often mixed with pork fat for added juiciness. It has a delicate seafood flavour, and the focus is more on the natural taste of shrimp.

Wrapping:

– Siu Mai wrapper is made from a thin sheet of wheat dough, yellow in colour, and open at the top, revealing the filling.

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– Har Gao’s wrapper is translucent and made from wheat and tapioca starch, giving it a chewy yet delicate texture.

ALSO READ | How are momos, dim sums, dumplings and potstickers different from one another?

Appearance:

Siu Mai: Open faced, cylindrical in shape, with the filling visible at the top, often garnished with a small piece of crab roe or diced carrot.

Har Gao: Crescent or pouch-shaped, completely sealed with delicate pleats on the exterior, and its transparent wrapper gives a glimpse of the shrimp inside.

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