Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)
Beware of burns - hot golden soup trapped in ultra-thin skin
Description
The flagship Dim Sum of Shanghai/Jiangnan. Paper-thin wheat wrappers enveloping minced pork and 'Pi Dong' (pork skin gelatin aspic). Steaming melts the aspic, creating a magical, boiling hot soup trapped inside the dumpling.
Restaurants serving Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Wheat flour
- Minced pork
- Pork skin(for gelatin soup)
- Ginger
- Soy sauce
- Black vinegar(for eating)
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- The ultimate secret 'Pi Dong' (Aspic): Boil pork skin with scallion and ginger for hours. Strain the collagen-rich broth, chill in the fridge until it sets into a hard jelly, then finely mince it.
- Knead minced pork with soy, sesame oil, grated ginger, and salt, stirring violently in one direction until highly sticky and emulsified.
- Fold the minced 'Pi Dong' jelly generously into the pork (this melts into soup when steamed).
- Roll a hot-water wheat dough into paper-thin, translucent circles.
- Place the filling, and using your thumb and index finger, artfully pleat the edges into '18+ folds', sealing the top perfectly.
- Line a small bamboo steamer (Xiao Long) with cabbage leaves and steam on high for 5-
- minutes.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Black vinegar、Intense pork umami
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Store-bought frozen Xiao Long Bao (lacks the paper-thin texture)
Pairing
Black vinegar & julienned ginger / Jasmine Tea
Trivia
[Trivia] 'Xiao Long' means small bamboo steamer. The thinner the wrapper and the more pleats, the higher the chef's skill. Top-tier shops strictly demand '1mm thickness, 18+ pleats'.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] NEVER bite whole (boiling soup will explode). Place on a spoon, top with black vinegar-soaked ginger. Nibble a tiny hole in the skin, slurp the soup 'swoosh', then eat the rest.
Allergen
Wheat, Pork, Soybeans