Destination
Ayutthaya
The story
Khanom jeeb is Thailand's cousin to Chinese har gow — very thin, translucent, pleated dumplings filled with a pork-and-prawn mix, steamed in bamboo baskets until the wrappers turn glassy and the filling shows through. Served with a small dish of tangy garlic-vinegar or a Thai chili-vinegar dip. Sold at every Bangkok morning market and every Chinese-Thai dim sum stall, and the specialty khanom jeeb shops that keep the tradition alive (Yod Chef Khanom Jeeb near Bang Rak is a Bangkok institution). The wrappers are thinner and paler than siu mai, and the shape is more pleated and elegant — a specifically Thai-Chinese hybrid.
Method
In a bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch and salt. Pour in boiling water while stirring with chopsticks. Add oil. Knead 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface into a smooth ball. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand for 2 minutes until sticky. Rest 15 minutes.
Divide dough into 30 to 36 balls. Roll each into a thin round about 8cm across (thinner in the middle).
Place 1 heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle of each wrapper. Pleat the edge on one side only, folding the wrapper around into a crescent shape with 6 to 8 pleats. Seal tightly.
Line bamboo steamer with perforated paper. Arrange dumplings with 1cm spacing. Steam 10 to 12 minutes over vigorous steam. Wrappers should turn translucent and the filling should be firm.
Combine all dip ingredients in small dishes.
Bring baskets directly to the table. Serve immediately with dip. Diners dip each khanom jeeb in the sauce and eat with chopsticks.
Freeze uncooked on a tray, then bag. Steam from frozen 14 minutes.
Tips
- Boiling water into the dough. This partially cooks the flour and gives the wrapper its distinctive tender-elastic texture.
- Roll thin. 1-2mm is the target for the wrapper thickness.
- Pleat one side only. The classical khanom jeeb shape is a crescent with pleats on one edge — different from siu mai's open top or Chinese dumpling's fully pleated.
- Steam to order. Fresh from the basket is markedly better than reheated.
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