Dim Sum Library is Giving Traditional Har Gau A Transformation

Yum Cha Classic Reinvented in Four Experimental Flavours

Following the huge success and popularity of its debut flavoured xiao long bao series, Dim Sum Library is called for an encore of its reimagined twist on a time-honoured classic. This time around, Aqua Restaurant Group’s contemporary Chinese culinary masters are steaming up four never-before-attempted renditions of the mighty har gau – crystal shrimp dumplings.

Arguably Canton’s most prominent dim sum, har gau has reigned as one of the most ordered dishes at Dim Sum Library. When the first flavour infusion was introduced with the black truffle, it became an instant hit and found its place on the permanent menu and most photographed dish of the restaurant. Inspired by this flavour infusion, the innovative chefs behind Dim Sum Library have transformed this signature into four carefully crafted, colourful dim sum creations – offering a contemporary surprise to the taste buds.

Each hero ingredient in the series is thoughtfully paired to complement the delicate prawn har gau filling to ensure a balance of flavours while pushing the boundaries of contemporary Chinese dining.
Inspired by the essential ingredient of Mediterranean cooking, the Oregano Har Gau (HK$63) couples the brightness of fresh prawns with a surge of peppery aromas of oregano and a tart citrussy sweetness of coriander. Notes of musty greens, mint and spice from the oregano give the
skin of the dumpling a bold and earthy body to it with just a hint of astringency.

The practice of using Chenpi (dried citrus peels) in traditional medicine dates back to the Song Dynasty and has since been a common ingredient in the Chinese kitchen for over seven hundred years. The Aged Orange Peel Har Gau (HK$63) uses traditional Chinese seasonings and methods to marinate and dry the skin of small mandarins to achieve the balance of subtle sweetness and bitterness. The juxtaposition of the warm herbaceous flavours against the meaty sweetness of the dumpling filling makes it an unusual yet beautiful dish with flavourful depth.

A medicinal herb found in ancient Egypt over 5,000 years ago is still one of the most everyday condiment found on the spice rack. The flavour profile of dill is complex yet mild, with a distinctive freshness that of fennel and celery which pairs harmoniously with seafood. The Dill Har Gau (HK$63) awakens the taste buds with a citrus burst and a slightly grassy undertone.

Drawing on Japanese influences, the Yuzukosho Har Gau (HK$63) nods towards the traditions of condiment fermentation. A Kyushu local specialty, the Yuzukosho paste is composed of chilli peppers, yuzu peel (a citrus hybrid of lime, lemon and grapefruit) and salt to give it that distinctive heat and acidity. Usually used as a condiment for nabemono hotpot dishes, it is the star ingredient at Dim Sum Library alongside asparagus and coriander of the reinvented har gau.