Soup Dumpling Bowl

Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) are Shanghainese steamed dumplings famous for the burst of hot savory broth hidden inside each delicate wrapper. The trick is an aspic made from gelatinous pork stock, which melts into liquid soup as the dumplings steam. Served in a bamboo steamer bowl with black vinegar and ginger.

By YumYum Editorial · Chinese

Prep: 45 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 65 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork skin, cut into pieces (for aspic)
• 3 cups chicken broth (for aspic)
• 2 slices fresh ginger (for aspic)
• 2 scallions (for aspic)
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 30 round dumpling wrappers (thin, for xiao long bao)
• 1/4 cup black vinegar, for dipping
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned, for dipping

Instructions

1. Simmer pork skin in chicken broth with ginger slices and scallions for 2 hours until the liquid is rich and slightly thickened. Strain and discard solids, then refrigerate the broth until it sets into a firm, jiggly aspic, about 4 hours or overnight.
2. Dice the chilled aspic into small 1/4-inch cubes.
3. Mix ground pork with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, white pepper, minced ginger, and sesame oil until well combined and slightly sticky.
4. Fold the diced aspic cubes into the pork filling just before assembling, working quickly so the aspic doesn't melt.
5. Place a spoonful of filling with a few aspic cubes in the center of each wrapper. Pleat the edges upward around the filling, twisting to seal tightly at the top into a pouch shape.
6. Line a bamboo steamer with parchment paper or cabbage leaves and arrange dumplings with space between them.
7. Steam over boiling water for 8-10 minutes until the wrappers turn translucent and the filling is cooked through.
8. Serve immediately in the steamer, with a small dish of black vinegar and julienned ginger for dipping — eat carefully, as the broth inside is very hot.