Xiao Long Bao

About This Recipe

Xiao Long Bao are Shanghai's most famous dumplings — delicate pleated wrappers encasing seasoned pork and a magical mouthful of hot, savory soup. The 'soup' is created by adding gelled aspic to the filling, which melts during steaming. Lift carefully, bite a small hole, sip the broth, then enjoy. A masterpiece of dumpling craftsmanship.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsall-purpose flour
• 1/2 cupboiling water
• 1/4 cupcold water
• 300 gground pork (30% fat)
• 1 tbspginger, minced
• 2green onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbspShaoxing wine
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tbspsesame oil
• 1 tspsugar
• 1/2 tspwhite pepper
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 cuprich pork stock
• 1 tbsppowdered gelatin (or 4 sheets)
• 3 tbspChinkiang black vinegar (for serving)
• 1 tbspyoung ginger, julienned (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make aspic

   Bloom gelatin in a little stock. Heat remaining stock, dissolve gelatin. Pour into shallow pan and chill until firm, 2 hours. Cube finely.

2. 2

   Make dough

   Pour boiling water over flour, stir. Add cold water, knead until smooth. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

3. 3

   Make filling

   Mix pork, ginger, green onions, Shaoxing, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and salt. Stir vigorously in one direction until tacky.

4. 4

   Combine filling

   Fold cubed aspic into filling gently. Refrigerate until ready to wrap.

5. 5

   Roll wrappers

   Roll dough into long log. Cut into 24 pieces. Roll each into 7cm circle, thinner at edges.

6. 6

   Wrap dumplings

   Place 1 tbsp filling in center. Pleat edges 18-20 times around, twisting top to seal. (Practice — it's tricky!)

7. 7

   Steam

   Place dumplings on parchment in bamboo steamer (don't touch). Steam over boiling water for 8 minutes.

8. 8

   Serve

   Serve immediately with vinegar-ginger dipping sauce. Lift carefully, bite small hole, sip broth, then eat.

Variations

• •

  Crab and pork XLB: add lump crabmeat to filling.

• •

  Vegetarian: use mushroom broth aspic and mushroom-tofu filling.

Storage

Best fresh. Freeze uncooked between layers of parchment up to 1 month.

Frequently Asked Questions