What fried taro dumpling is a dim sum favorite?

The fried taro dumpling that is a dim sum favorite is wu gok. Its crisp, lacy shell is made from mashed taro, while the center commonly contains seasoned ground pork, mushrooms, and other savory aromatics.

Wu gok is also called a deep-fried taro dumpling, taro croquette, or taro dumpling puff. It is associated especially with Cantonese cuisine and is a familiar item in Hong Kong-style dim sum restaurants. The shell’s unusual texture comes from taro: when the mashed root is mixed and fried, parts of it form a light, flaky crust rather than a smooth pastry.

Wu gok is often confused with taro cake, another dim sum dish. Taro cake is a denser steamed mixture made with rice flour and usually cut into rectangular slices before pan-frying. Wu gok is shaped as a dumpling and deep-fried whole. It is also distinct from spring rolls, whose wrappers are made from thin dough rather than taro.