These are steamed dumplings filled with ground pork and chopped prawns, wrapped in a dough made from rice flour, tapioca flour, and xanthan gum instead of wheat. The honest reason to make them: they hold together well, the filling is genuinely flavorful, and anyone avoiding gluten can eat them without a modified version of the dish — this is the dish.
The short version of why this works
Two things carry this recipe. First, the flour blend: tapioca flour adds stretch, rice flour adds structure, and xanthan gum holds it together where gluten normally would. Without all three working together, the wrappers crack when you fold them. Second, finely processing the filling matters more than it sounds. Ground pork releases moisture as it steams, and if the prawns and vegetables are left in large chunks, the filling falls apart when you bite in. Chop everything as fine as you can — or use a food processor for 10 seconds — and the filling stays cohesive and cooks evenly in the 15-minute steam time.
Smart swaps
- Prawns: Raw prawns work best here. Pre-cooked prawns turn rubbery after steaming — skip them if that’s all you have and just use 250g ground pork total.
- Gluten-free soy sauce: Tamari is the most widely available substitute and works identically in this filling. Regular soy sauce contains wheat, so don’t swap it in if you’re cooking for someone with celiac disease.
- Five spice: If you don’t have it, a small pinch each of ground cinnamon and white pepper gets you close enough. Skip the star anise — it’s too strong on its own.
- Button mushrooms: Any mild fresh mushroom works. Dried shiitake rehydrated in warm water also works well and adds more umami, but squeeze out all the water before chopping or the filling gets wet.
Common problems and fixes
- Wrappers split when folding: The dough dried out while you were working. Keep unused dough pieces covered with a damp cloth. Work with one piece at a time.
- Dumplings stick to the steamer paper: The oil layer on the baking paper needs to cover the full area under each dumpling, not just a light mist. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to spread it properly.
- Filling is watery after steaming: Excess moisture from the prawns or mushrooms leaked out. Before mixing the filling, pat the prawns dry with paper towels and squeeze any moisture from the mushrooms after chopping.
- Dumplings are doughy in the middle after 15 minutes: Your steamer likely lost heat when you added the dumplings. Make sure the water is at a full boil before the dumplings go in, and don’t lift the lid during cooking.
- Wrappers turn gummy after cooling: Gluten-free wrappers firm up and get sticky as they cool — this is normal. Eat them hot, straight from the steamer.
Leftovers and meal prep
Cooked dumplings keep in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. Reheat them by steaming for 4–5 minutes — microwaving works in a pinch but makes the wrappers tough. For freezing, freeze them uncooked on a tray until solid, then transfer to a bag; they keep for up to 2 months. Steam from frozen for 18–20 minutes without thawing first. The filling can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, which actually makes assembly faster — just keep the dough and filling separate until you’re ready to wrap. Don’t refrigerate assembled raw dumplings overnight; the moisture from the filling softens the wrappers and they’ll tear.
Gluten-Free Dim Sum Dumplings (Steamed Pork & Prawn)
Equipment
Ingredients
Dumpling Wrapper Ingredients
- 1½ cups tapioca flour - 8.8oz / about 250 g, also called tapioca starch
- 1⅔ cups fine rice flour - 8.8oz / about 250 g
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- ¾ cup gluten-free plain flour - 3.5oz / about 100 g, also called all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil - light
⅔ cup water - warm ; 150 ml
Filling Ingredients
4.4 oz ground pork (minced pork) - 125 g, also called minced pork- 4.4 oz king prawns - 125 g, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
4 spring onions - finely sliced, also called scallions
½ medium carrot - peeled and finely grated
½ inch ginger - fresh ; 1cm piece, peeled and finely grated
1 medium green chilis (green chilli in British English) - finely chopped
1.8 oz button mushrooms - 50 g, finely chopped
1 clove garlic - crushed- 1 teaspoon five spice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce - gluten-free ; tamari
2 tablespoons sesame oil - toasted- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt - adjust to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Dumpling Wrapper Instructions
- Add the tapioca flour, rice flour, half of the plain flour and the xanthan gum together in a large bowl.1½ cups tapioca flour, 1⅔ cups fine rice flour, ¾ cup gluten-free plain flour, 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- Add the olive oil and warm water, then mix with a fork until the ingredients come together. Knead by hand for 2–3 minutes until the dough is smooth, firm, and slightly moist. Add a little more water, one tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too dry and crumbly.3 tablespoons olive oil, ⅔ cup water
- Shape the dough into a log approximately 30cm (12 inches) long and 2cm (¾ inch) in diameter.
- Separate the dough into 20 similar-sized pieces and remove it from the board.
- Sprinkle the remaining plain flour over the chopping board.¾ cup gluten-free plain flour
- Using a rolling pin on the floured board, flatten each piece into a rough circle approximately 8–9cm (3–3.5 inches) in diameter. Work gently — this dough is less elastic than wheat dough and may crack at the edges. If it splits, press the edges back together with your fingers.
- Leave these on the side and move on to the filling.
Filling and Steaming Instructions
- Finely chop the prawns, mushrooms, spring onions, and green chilli. Finely grate the ginger and carrot. Crush the garlic. Combine everything in a bowl with the ground pork, five spice, rice vinegar, gluten-free soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined. Alternatively, pulse all filling ingredients in a food processor for 8–10 seconds for a finer, more cohesive texture.4.4 oz ground pork (minced pork), 4.4 oz king prawns, 4 spring onions, ½ medium carrot, ½ inch ginger, 1 medium green chilis (green chilli in British English), 1.8 oz button mushrooms, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon five spice, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Now carefully take one of the wrappers from the chopping board and place it in the palm of your hand. Place a heaped teaspoon (about 1 tablespoon) of filling in the centre of the wrapper. Carefully bring the dumpling’s edges to enclose the filling and pinch together. Repeat until you have 20 pieces ready for steaming.
- Lightly oil a large piece of baking paper (this step is essential, or your dumplings will stick to the paper) and place your dumplings separately on top of this.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Place the steamer basket lined with the oiled baking paper and dumplings on top. Cover tightly with a lid, reduce the heat to medium, and steam for 15 minutes.
- Remove carefully and serve hot with gluten-free dipping sauces — we love gluten-free sweet chilli sauce and a simple soy-vinegar dip (equal parts gluten-free soy sauce and rice vinegar with a few slices of fresh chilli).
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the ground pork inside is fully cooked?
After 15 minutes of steaming over boiling water, ground pork in a filling this size will be cooked through to the safe temperature of 160°F (71°C). If you want to check, cut one dumpling open — the pork should be completely grey with no pink remaining, and the juices should run clear.
Can I make these without a bamboo steamer?
Yes — a metal steamer insert over a pot works fine, as does a heatproof plate set on a small rack inside a wok or large pot with a lid. The key is that the dumplings sit above the water, not in it, and the lid traps the steam.
My dough feels too dry and keeps cracking before I even start folding — what do I do?
Add water half a teaspoon at a time and knead it in until the dough feels like firm Play-Doh — it should hold together without sticking to your hands. Gluten-free dough absorbs liquid differently depending on the brand of flour, so the 150ml in the recipe is a starting point, not a fixed amount.
If you liked this one
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