Xiao Long Bao

Soup dumplings with a juicy pork filling and delicate steamed wrappers.

Xiao long bao are soup dumplings: aspic melted into broth inside a thin wrapper. At home, roll even wrappers and pleat tightly so the soup stays sealed—practice is part of the pleasure.

Ingredients

• 10 oz ground pork
• 1 cup set pork stock aspic, diced
• 1 tbsp ginger juice
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 24 thin dumpling wrappers
• for dipping black vinegar and ginger slivers

Steps

1. Reduce pork stock the day before and chill into aspic; dice small.
2. Beat pork with ginger juice, soy, sesame oil, and pepper; fold in aspic cubes.
3. Pleat wrappers tightly around filling, sealing the top so soup cannot leak.
4. Steam on cabbage leaves over high heat 8 minutes until wrappers turn translucent.
5. Lift gently onto a spoon; nibble a hole, sip the soup, then eat the dumpling.
6. Serve with black vinegar and ginger slivers for dipping.

Tips

• Chill aspic fully before mixing into the filling.
• Line the steamer with paper or cabbage leaves.
• Lift with chopsticks onto a spoon so broth doesn’t spill.

• Shrimp or chicken filling works.
• Store-bought wrappers are fine for beginners.

Freeze raw dumplings 1 month. Cooked: fridge 1 day; re-steam to reheat.