The Costco Find My Cantonese Mom Can't Stop Buying

Nov 04, 2024

They’re better than what she and I have enjoyed in many dim sum restaurants!

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I could eat dim sum every day. Dim sum isn’t just a dish; it’s a cuisine with hundreds of dumplings and pastries that have evolved over centuries. I thank my Cantonese mom for instilling a love of dim sum in me early on.

So, when I discovered a large box of frozen shrimp dumplings (or har gow, also known as hacao 虾饺) at Costco, I couldn’t wait to share it with her.

Each box of Royal Asia Prawn Hacao contains 40 dumplings and costs about $16.49 at Costco, and they’re currently $5 off until August 25. Some Costco shoppers have found these for as low as $10. That’s about 25 to 41 cents per dumpling—an incredible price considering you’ll pay about $6 to $9 for just four har gow at dim sum restaurants across the U.S., plus tax and tips.

I was initially skeptical because I’ve made har gow before (there’s even a recipe for a rice paper version in my second cookbook), and it’s no easy feat. The shrimp filling isn’t too hard to perfect—the tapioca-based skin is the real challenge—it can end up too hard, too soft and mushy, or not chewy enough. So, I was pleasantly surprised by these dumplings. The skin was spot on—perfectly chewy, albeit a little thick. The shrimp filling was also just right—umami-rich with crispy shrimp bites and minced bamboo shoots.

Simply Recipes / Photo Illustration by Wanda Abraham / Retailer below

When I said I shared these dumplings with my mother, I meant I handed her the box and asked her to make them for lunch. The first thing she said to me, in Cantonese, was, “Wow, you got a box of these? They’re always snatched up in New Jersey and New York.”

Mom spends a month on the East Coast every summer, so she knows about the Costco scene there. Chatting with people on social media, I discovered these dumplings have a cult following on Costco Facebook groups. But I digress—back to dumpling cooking:

There are two ways you can prepare these frozen dumplings.

Microwave: The faster and easier method is in the microwave, which takes about three to four minutes.

Steam: They come out perfectly fine in the microwave; however, Mom chose the traditional route and steamed the dumplings, which takes her about eight minutes. Straight out of our bamboo steamer, the dumplings were piping hot, and we felt like we were at a dim sum restaurant.

We rarely use additional sauces when enjoying dim sum, other than the occasional red vinegar, chili crisp, Worcestershire sauce, or mustard. So we skipped the soy ginger sauce, which Mom said tasted like “sweet and sour sauce.” Neither of us was a fan of the sauce, and people online don’t seem to like it much either.

Mom and I each had four dumplings for lunch. She couldn’t stop raving about them. “They’re better than in some dim sum restaurants! Write about these,” she told me. Jake, my husband, also enjoyed them. If you can’t finish all 40 dumplings at once, return them to the box and freeze them for later.

Picky Cantonese-mom approved, these dumplings are not just a great Costco find—they’re a must-have for anyone who loves dim sum, especially har gow, and wants to satisfy a craving instantly.

Skip the sauce, invest in a wok and bamboo steamer (although I can microwave these), and don’t hesitate to grab a box when you spot them at Costco. Mom is already planning a trip with our neighbor, who drives her to Costco, so she can snatch another box or two!

Read the original article on Simply Recipes.