Cantonese Har Gau (Crystal Shrimp Dumpling)

Guangdong Province — har gau is considered the most technically demanding Cantonese dim sum preparation; its mastery signals a trained dim sum chef

Har gau (shrimp dumpling): considered the pinnacle of Cantonese dim sum technique — a translucent wrapper of wheat starch and tapioca starch encasing a filling of whole shrimp. The benchmark of a dim sum chef's skill: the wrapper should be translucent (revealing the pink shrimp inside), have 7 or more pleats on the top, be firm enough to pick up without breaking, and the shrimp filling should have a definitive bouncing snap.

• Japanese gyoza (distant cousin — more garlic, less delicate)
• Vietnamese banh bot loc (similar rice starch wrapper)
• French quenelles (similar delicate protein technique)

Sweet shrimp, delicate translucent wrapper, clean — the most unforgiving dim sum test; quality is immediately visible and tasteable