Appetizer: China – 小笼包 ▶ Xiao Long Bao (Steamed Soup Dumplings)

Serving Size: 30

Approximate Time

Prep 1 hr 30 min

Cook 10 min

Additional 2 hrs 30 min

Total 4 hrs 10 min

Ingredients

2 1 / 3 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
1 / 2 tsp fine salt
3 / 4 cup (165 ml) boiling water (adjust slightly as needed)
14 oz (400 g) ground pork (20–30% fat preferred)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white pepper
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
2 scallions, white and green parts finely chopped
800–1000 ml rich pork stock (cooled and set into firm jelly, then diced into ~1 cm cubes)
OR
2 cups (500 ml) store-bought chicken or pork stock + 15–20 g powdered gelatin (or 3–4 sheets)
Napa cabbage leaves or parchment paper rounds (to line steamer)
Water for steaming
Black vinegar (to taste)
Fresh julienned ginger (to taste)

Instructions

Yield: about 30–36 dumplings (adjust ingredient amounts proportionally). Total time: roughly 3–6 hours if making traditional aspic; ~1.5–2 hours with quick gelatin.
Make the aspic (choose one method):
  Traditional pork-skin aspic: Blanch 300 g pork skin and 500 g pork bones briefly, rinse. In a large pot add bones, pork skin, 1 small onion (halved), 2 slices ginger, 1 scallion, and 1–2 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Cover with cold water, bring to a simmer and gently simmer 2.5–4 hours, skimming foam. Strain and refrigerate the stock until fully set (several hours or overnight). Once set, remove excess fat if desired and chop the jelly into ~1 cm cubes; keep chilled.
  Quick gelatin aspic: Warm 500 ml good-quality chicken or pork stock, sprinkle 15–20 g powdered gelatin (or bloom 3–4 gelatin sheets in cold water then squeeze) into the warm stock and stir until dissolved. Chill until firm, then dice into ~1 cm cubes.
Make the dough (hot-water dough):
  1. Place 300 g flour and 1/2 tsp salt in a mixing bowl. Pour 165 ml boiling water into the flour in a slow steady stream while stirring with a spatula or chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms.
  2. When cool enough to handle, knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, ~6–8 minutes. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and rest 30–45 minutes (this relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier).
Make the filling:
  1. In a bowl, combine 400 g ground pork, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp minced ginger, and the chopped scallions.
  2. Mix thoroughly using one direction folding or a stand mixer on low. You want the mixture slightly tacky and cohesive — this helps hold the soup when steaming.
  3. Fold in the chilled diced aspic (soup jelly) gently until evenly distributed. Keep the filling chilled while you form wrappers.
Form wrappers and assemble dumplings:
  1. Divide dough into two portions for easier handling. Roll each portion into a long log and cut into 30–36 equal pieces (each ~15 g dough). Keep pieces covered to prevent drying.
  2. Working with one piece at a time, roll each piece into a small ball and flatten slightly. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into a thin round wrapper about 7–8 cm (2.8–3.2 in) across, thinner in the center and slightly thicker at the edges. Aim for wrappers thin enough to be delicate but strong enough to hold soup.
  3. Place about 1 heaping teaspoon (≈10–12 g) of filling into the center of each wrapper. Try to include a piece or two of aspic in each dumpling.
  4. Pleating: With the wrapper in your non-dominant hand, use your dominant hand to make pleats around the edge, gathering the wrapper upward and rotating to form a tight sealed pouch. Traditionally 12–18 pleats are used; finish with a pinched top so the dumpling is sealed and upright. Practice will improve speed—alternatively, gather and pinch the top without formal pleats if preferred.
Steam the Xiao Long Bao:
  1. Prepare a bamboo steamer or metal steamer lined with several Napa cabbage leaves or parchment paper with small holes to prevent sticking. Lightly dust the bottom of each wrapper with a little flour if needed to avoid sticking.
  2. Arrange dumplings with space between them (they’ll expand slightly). Bring a pot of water to a vigorous boil and place the steamer over the pot (water should not touch the dumplings).
  3. Steam over high heat for 8–10 minutes (for medium-sized dumplings). Do not open the lid during the first 6–8 minutes. For very large dumplings, allow a minute or two longer. If you rested the dough longer and made the wrappers thin, err on the shorter time to prevent bursting.
  4. After steaming, remove the steamer from heat and let rest 1 minute before opening to avoid splatter.
Serve:
  1. Transfer dumplings to small plates. Serve immediately with black vinegar and julienned ginger on the side. To eat: lift a dumpling with chopsticks onto a spoon, nip a small hole to let out and sip the hot soup, then eat with the wrapper and filling.
Tips and troubleshooting:
  - Fat content: Use pork with some fat (20–30%) for a juicy filling. Too-lean pork yields less flavorful soup.
  - Aspic ratio: Ensure enough aspic so each dumpling has at least a cube or two; otherwise the dumpling won’t have much soup.
  - Wrapper thickness: Practice to make center slightly thicker than edge; too-thin can tear, too-thick makes dumpling doughy.
  - Make-ahead: Aspic can be made 1–2 days ahead; filling can be mixed and kept chilled for several hours. Assemble and steam just before serving.
  - Safety: The soup inside is very hot when steamed—allow to cool briefly and sip carefully.