Xiao Long Bao Recipe
Yank Sing's soup dumplings are freshly flavorful and perfectly thin-skinned.
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Ingredients
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Dough (thin-skinned wrappers)
Pork Filling
Aspic (gelled soup filling)
To serve
Method
Dough (thin-skinned wrappers)
- 1
Make dough
Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix. Slowly pour the hot water into the flour while stirring with a fork or chopsticks until shaggy clumps form. Add cold water and vegetable oil, mixing until a rough dough forms.
- 2
Knead and rest
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Form into a ball, coat lightly with oil, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to relax the gluten (up to 1 hour).
- 3
Divide and roll
After resting, divide the dough into two equal logs. Cut each log into 20–24 pieces (total about 40–48 wrappers). Keep unused pieces covered. Lightly press each piece into a small disc, then roll into a thin wrapper about 3 inches (7–8 cm) in diameter — thinner at the edges and slightly thicker in the center. Stack separated by parchment or dusting flour to prevent sticking.
Aspic (gelled soup filling)
- 4
- 5
Strain and concentrate
Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Press solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Taste and season with ~1 tsp salt. If the stock is weak, simmer to reduce further to intensify flavor.
- 6
Gel and chill
If desired, sprinkle 1 tsp gelatin over 2–3 tbs cold stock and let bloom for 5 minutes, then whisk into the hot strained stock. Pour the hot stock into a shallow dish or container and chill in the refrigerator until fully set (4 hours or overnight) into a firm aspic.
- 7
Cube aspic
When set, cut the aspic into small 1/4-inch (5–7 mm) cubes. Keep chilled until ready to fill dumplings.
Pork Filling
- 8
Prepare fillings
Place the ground pork in a large bowl. Add the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, grated ginger, chopped green onions, salt, and egg white.
- 9
Mix filling for texture
Using a spatula or spoon, fold and press the mixture repeatedly against the side of the bowl for 2–3 minutes until the meat becomes sticky and cohesive. This develops the meat’s binding and gives the filling a silky texture. Cover and refrigerate the filling for 20–30 minutes to firm slightly; cold filling helps hold aspic cubes.
- 10
Combine with aspic
Fold chilled aspic cubes gently into the chilled pork mixture just before wrapping. Aim for roughly 1 teaspoon of aspic cubes per dumpling (adjust to wrapper size). Keep the mixture cold so the aspic doesn’t melt while you work.
Assembly and cooking
- 11
Portion filling onto wrapper
Place a wrapper in your palm. Put about 1 tablespoon of meat filling (adjust so wrapper is filled but not overstuffed) into the center. Keep a small bowl of water nearby to wet the wrapper edge for sealing.
- 12
Pleat and seal
Wet the edge of the wrapper with a little water. Using your fingers, pleat the edge to form 12–18 small pleats that slope toward the center and pinch to seal tightly at the top. The top should be closed with no gaps. Place finished dumplings on a lightly floured tray or on parchment squares. Repeat until all filling is used.
- 13
Prepare steamer
Line a bamboo or metal steamer with parchment paper (poke small steam holes) or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking. Bring a wok or pot with about 1–2 inches of water to a boil; reduce to a brisk simmer so there is steady steam but not violent boiling.
- 14
Steam dumplings
Arrange dumplings in the steamer with some space between them (they will not expand much). Steam over high steam for 6–8 minutes (for 1-inch-thick mound; larger dumplings may need 8–10 minutes) until the wrapper is translucent and the filling is cooked through. Do not oversteam — wrappers should remain thin but intact.
- 15
Rest briefly
Remove the steamer from heat and let dumplings sit covered for 1 minute to settle so the soup redistributes. This prevents breaking when transferring.
- 16
Serve
Serve immediately with black vinegar and julienned ginger; optionally add chili oil. To eat, place dumpling on a Chinese soup spoon, nibble a small hole in the side to slurp the soup, then eat the rest. Be careful — soup is hot.