Pork Soup Dumpling (xiao Long Bao) (6) Recipe
Make Pork Soup Dumpling (xiao Long Bao) (6) Recipe in just 6h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Soup / Aspic (make first)
Filling
Dough / Wrappers
Assembly & Serving
Method
Soup / Aspic (make first)
- 1
- 2
Simmer stock
Return the cleaned bones and skin to the pot. Add 1,500 ml cold water, sliced ginger, smashed green onions, and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine. Bring to a gentle simmer, skimming any scum for the first 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 2–3 hours until the liquid is rich and slightly viscous.
- 3
Season and strain
After simmering, add 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and taste — adjust lightly. Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract liquid. Discard solids. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the strained cold stock for the filling (place in refrigerator to chill).
- 4
Chill to set aspic
Pour the remaining strained stock (aim for at least 300–500 ml of rich stock) into a shallow container. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate uncovered or lightly covered until firmly set (about 4 hours or overnight). If the stock does not gel well, you can whisk in 1–2 teaspoons powdered gelatin dissolved in 1 tbs cold water while the stock is still warm, then chill to set.
- 5
Cube aspic
When the stock is fully set and cold, cut the aspic into small 5–8 mm dice. Keep chilled until assembly; the diced aspic will be folded into the pork filling so each dumpling releases hot soup when steamed.
Filling
- 6
Prepare aromatics
Finely chop the scallions and grate the ginger. Keep them ready and cold.
- 7
Make seasoning mix
In a small bowl mix 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and 0.5 teaspoon salt. Stir to dissolve.
- 8
Combine pork and seasoning
Place the 300 g ground pork in a mixing bowl. Add the seasoning mix, 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch, the 3 tablespoons chilled reserved stock, chopped scallions, and grated ginger. Using a spatula, mix by folding and pressing against the side of the bowl for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive (this develops a smooth filling texture). Keep the mixture cold.
- 9
Fold in aspic
Gently fold the chilled, diced aspic (150 g) into the seasoned pork mixture. Distribute evenly but avoid overworking so the aspic cubes remain intact. Place the filling in the refrigerator until ready to assemble (cold filling helps keep wrappers thin and prevents premature melting).
Dough / Wrappers
- 10
Make hot-water dough
In a bowl, combine 200 g all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour 110 ml boiling water over the flour while stirring with a spatula or chopsticks until a shaggy mass forms. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil if using. When cool enough to handle, knead on a lightly floured surface for 6–8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- 11
Rest dough
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Resting relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
- 12
Divide and roll wrappers
Divide the dough into 6 equal portions (for 6 dumplings). Roll each portion into a small ball, then flatten and roll with a small rolling pin into a round wrapper about 8–9 cm (3–3.5 inch) diameter, slightly thinner in the center and thicker at the edges. Keep unused wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.
Assembly & Steaming
- 13
Portion filling
Have the filling and diced aspic chilled. For each wrapper, spoon approximately 25–30 g of filling into the center (a heaping tablespoon). The filling already contains aspic cubes; if desired, add 6–8 extra aspic cubes per dumpling for more soup.
- 14
Pleat and seal
Hold the wrapper in one hand and pleat the edge with the other, working around to create 12–18 pleats, pinching firmly at the top to seal. Make sure there are no gaps — a good seal prevents leaking. Brush a little water or cornstarch slurry on the edge if needed to help seal.
- 15
- 16
Steam
Bring 500 ml water to a rolling boil in the wok or steaming pot. Place the steamer over the boiling water, cover, and steam the dumplings for 8–10 minutes (for fully cooked pork and hot soup). Avoid opening the lid during the first 6–8 minutes. If using larger dumplings, steam toward the longer end of the range.
- 17
Serve
Carefully remove the steamer. Serve the soup dumplings immediately with black vinegar and julienned ginger (about 30 ml vinegar + 1 tbs ginger per serving). To eat: lift gently, bite a small hole at the top to sip the soup, then eat with vinegar and ginger.
