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Crystal shrimp dumplings, also known as shrimp dumplings, are one of the most famous dim sum in Cantonese cuisine, famous for their crystal clear skin and delicious shrimp filling. Here are the basic steps to make crystal shrimp dumplings:

**Material**:

- Wheat starch: 100g

- Cornstarch (potato starch or tapioca starch): 50 g

- Boiling water: appropriate amount

- Fresh shrimp: 200g

- Pork fat (or lard): appropriate amount

- Bamboo shoots: appropriate amount (optional, to increase the taste)

- Salt: appropriate amount

- Sugar: moderate

- White pepper: appropriate amount

- Chicken stock or MSG: appropriate amount (optional)

- Sesame oil: appropriate amount

- Onion: appropriate amount

- Ginger: appropriate amount

**step**:

1. **Prepare shrimp filling**:

- Wash the fresh shrimps, remove the shrimp threads, and pat dry with kitchen towels.

- Chop the shrimp into shrimp paste, or use the back of a knife to beat it into shrimp paste, which can retain some of the granular texture of the shrimp meat.

- Add chopped pork fat or lard to increase the tenderness and aroma of the filling.

- If you like, you can add chopped bamboo shoots to enhance the taste.

- Add appropriate amount of salt, sugar, white pepper, chicken stock and sesame oil to season and mix well.

- Finally, add some scallion and ginger water (the liquid obtained by soaking chopped scallions and ginger in water) to increase the aroma, and stir clockwise until the filling is firm.

2. **Making the dough**:

- In a large bowl, mix cornstarch and starch in appropriate proportions.

- Slowly pour in freshly boiled water, stirring quickly with chopsticks as you pour until a dough forms.

- When the dough is slightly cool enough to touch, knead it into a smooth dough and cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

3. **Make shrimp dumplings**:

- Roll the dough into long strips and cut into small pieces, each weighing about 10 grams.

- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a thin round skin, slightly thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges.

- Take a piece of wrapper, put in an appropriate amount of shrimp filling, then fold the wrapper in half and gently pinch the edges with your fingers to form a half-moon shape, leaving some space and not sealing it completely so that the shrimp filling inside can be seen.

4. **Steamed shrimp dumplings**:

- Line the steamer with a cloth or apply a thin layer of oil to prevent the dumplings from sticking.

- Place the wrapped shrimp dumplings into the steamer, making sure to leave enough space as the shrimp dumplings will expand during the steaming process.

- Bring the water to a boil over high heat, place the steamer basket in the pot and steam over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes, until the shrimp dumpling skin becomes transparent.

5. **Serve and enjoy**:

- Take out the steamed shrimp dumplings and eat with Zhejiang vinegar or other favorite dipping sauces.

**Note**:

- The ratio of cornstarch to koji flour can be adjusted according to personal preference, but generally speaking, the more cornstarch, the more transparent the skin; the more cornstarch, the more elastic the skin.

- When making the dough, be sure to use freshly boiled water to blanch the dough so that it has good ductility and transparency.

- When wrapping the shrimp dumplings, be gentle to avoid breaking the skin.

- Do not steam for too long to prevent the shrimp dumpling skin from being too soft or the filling from being overcooked.

Following the above steps, you can try to make delicious crystal shrimp dumplings at home. Remember, it takes some practice to master this skill, so don't be discouraged, try a few more times, and you will get better and better.

The reason why cornstarch (usually potato starch or tapioca starch) is added to the skin of crystal shrimp dumplings is that cornstarch can help improve the texture and taste of the skin, making it more suitable for wrapping the delicious shrimp filling. The following are the functions of cornstarch in crystal shrimp dumpling skin:

1. **Increase elasticity and toughness**: Cornstarch has good viscosity and elasticity. Adding it to wheat starch can increase the elasticity and toughness of the skin, making the shrimp dumpling skin less likely to break during steaming while maintaining a good taste.

2. **Improve transparency**: Although the starch itself has a certain degree of transparency, adding an appropriate amount of cornstarch can make the shrimp dumpling skin more crystal clear and increase appetite.

3. **Improve the taste**: The addition of cornstarch can make the shrimp dumpling skin feel smoother in the mouth, which complements the delicious shrimp filling.

4. **Balanced dough**: The ratio of cornstarch to glutinous rice flour needs to be properly matched to achieve the best dough state. Too much cornstarch may make the dough too hard, while too little cornstarch may make the dough too soft and difficult to handle.

In the process of making crystal shrimp dumplings, the ratio of cornstarch to cornstarch is usually the key. Traditionally, the ratio of cornstarch to cornstarch is about 2:1, but this is not fixed, and chefs may make fine adjustments based on their own experience and preferences. In addition, when making crystal shrimp dumpling skins, boiling water is also needed to scald the dough, so that the starch can be fully gelatinized and form a dough with good ductility.

In short, the addition of cornstarch is an important step in making crystal shrimp dumpling skin. It not only affects the appearance of the shrimp dumplings, but is also directly related to the overall taste and quality of the shrimp dumplings.

The filling of crystal shrimp dumplings is mainly shrimp, and other auxiliary ingredients are usually added to increase the taste and flavor. The following are some common ingredients:

1. **Pork**: Usually pork fat (lard) or lean meat is used to increase the tenderness and aroma of the filling. The proportion of pork is generally not too much, so as not to cover the deliciousness of the shrimp.

2. Bamboo shoots: Cut bamboo shoots or bamboo shoots into small dices and add them to the filling to add a crispy texture. The selection and processing of bamboo shoots has a great impact on the taste of shrimp dumplings, and fresh bamboo shoots are particularly suitable.

3. **Water chestnut**: Cut the water chestnut into small pieces. Its sweetness and crispness can well balance the taste of shrimp and pork, and also increase the layering of the filling.

4. **Shiitake mushrooms**: Soak dried shiitake mushrooms and cut into small pieces. Its unique aroma can enhance the flavor of the entire filling.

5. **Celery**: Chop the celery into fine pieces. Its fragrance can enhance the flavor of the filling and also help remove the fishy smell and increase the freshness.

6. **Scallion and ginger**: Chop the scallion and ginger into fine pieces or make scallion and ginger water, and add them to the stuffing to remove the fishy smell and enhance the flavor.

7. **Seasoning**: including salt, sugar, white pepper, chicken essence or MSG, sesame oil, etc., to adjust the basic taste of the filling.

When making the fillings for crystal shrimp dumplings, it is important to note that all ingredients should be cut as finely and evenly as possible so that they can be evenly heated during the wrapping and steaming process to ensure the consistency of the shrimp dumplings' taste. In addition, the shrimps should be fresh and of good quality, preferably live shrimps, so that the shrimp dumplings made can be more delicious.

When making crystal shrimp dumplings, choosing the right shrimp is very important because it directly affects the taste and flavor of the shrimp dumplings. Here are some criteria for choosing shrimp:

1. **Freshness**: Fresh shrimp is the first choice for making shrimp dumplings. Fresh shrimp has firm meat, natural color and no peculiar smell. If possible, it is best to choose live shrimp.

2. **Variety**: Different varieties of shrimp have different textures and flavors. In China, the commonly used shrimp varieties include mud shrimp, prawns (shrimp), tiger shrimp, etc. They are all good choices for making shrimp dumplings.

3. **Size**: The size of the shrimp will also affect the taste of the shrimp dumplings. Usually choose medium-sized shrimps, which are easy to handle and can ensure the shrimp dumplings have a rich taste. Too large shrimps may make the shrimp dumplings look bulky, while too small shrimps may not be satisfying in taste.

4. **Meat quality**: Choose shrimps with full and chewy meat. The shrimp meat should be thick enough so that it can maintain a certain graininess when minced or mashed, which will increase the taste of the shrimp dumplings.

5. **De-shell and devein**: When buying shrimp, try to choose shrimp that have been de-shelled and deveined, which can save processing time. If you buy shrimp with shells, you need to de-shell and devein them yourself to ensure that the shrimp meat is clean.

6. **Frozen Processing**: If you buy frozen shrimp, make sure they are properly frozen, free of ice crystals and dehydration. Use the correct method when thawing to avoid damage to the shrimp meat.

When preparing shrimp dumpling fillings, you can chop the shrimp into shrimp paste or beat it into shrimp paste with the back of a knife, leaving some granular texture of the shrimp meat. This will make the shrimp dumplings have a richer taste when bitten. Remember to completely remove the shrimp thread when handling the shrimp, which is the black intestine on the back of the shrimp. If it is not removed, it will affect the taste and appearance.

In short, choosing fresh, good-quality, and moderately sized shrimps is the key to making delicious crystal shrimp dumplings.

To maximize the freshness of the shrimp in the crystal shrimp dumplings, you can start from the following aspects:

1. **Quick Steaming**: The cooking method of crystal shrimp dumplings is mainly steaming. In order to maintain the freshness of the shrimp, the quick steaming method should be used. Once the water boils, put the shrimp dumplings into the steamer and steam them over high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp dumplings and the airtightness of the steamer. Quick steaming can reduce the exposure time of the shrimp meat to high temperatures, thereby reducing the loss of freshness.

2. **Appropriate temperature**: When steaming shrimp dumplings, the water temperature in the pot should be boiling. This can ensure sufficient steam and quickly transfer heat to the shrimp dumplings, making them cooked quickly.

3. **Don’t overcook**: Shrimp meat is easy to cook, overcooking will cause the shrimp meat to become hard and lose its elasticity, and the freshness will also be lost. Therefore, the cooking time should be strictly controlled to avoid overcooking.

4. **Maintain the integrity of the shrimp dumplings**: During the steaming process, make sure that the shrimp dumplings are not dispersed or deformed by the steam. You can put a layer of steamer cloth or apply a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the steamer to prevent the shrimp dumplings from sticking.

5. **Fresh ingredients**: Using fresh shrimp and other ingredients is the premise of maintaining freshness. Fresh ingredients not only taste better, but also better retain their original flavor during the cooking process.

6. **Proper filling processing**: When making shrimp dumpling fillings, the shrimp should be processed properly, minced into shrimp paste or pounded into shrimp paste, retaining some of the granular texture of the shrimp meat, so as to better lock in the freshness of the shrimp meat.

7. **Reasonable seasoning**: Adding appropriate amount of salt, sugar, white pepper, chicken essence or MSG, sesame oil and other seasonings to the filling can enhance the flavor of the shrimp, but avoid using too much so as not to cover up the flavor of the shrimp itself.

By following the above cooking techniques and precautions, you can effectively maintain the freshness of the shrimp in the crystal shrimp dumplings, allowing diners to enjoy the most delicious shrimp dumplings.