Xiao Long Bao – a perfect little Chinese dumpling
In the fascinating world of Chinese dumplings, there is one which is a cult phenomenon: the Xiao Long Bao.
Soupy surprise
A Xiao Long Bao (or XLB for short) dumpling is an irresistible little pocket of ground pork, containing a luscious whoosh of soup, wrapped up within a beautifully thin noodle-like casing. See that bulge at the bottom of the XLB? That's the soup sitting there.
When XLBs are made, the soup is a jelly (a cold stock that gets mixed into the pork filling mixture), and as the dumpling is heated in the steamer, that jelly melts to become liquid. It can be a dilemma when introducing a friend to XLB for the first time – should you tell them about the surprise? If not forewarned, there's a risk of burning your tongue on the hot soup.
The art of dumpling eating
Which brings us to: ‘How do you eat a XLB?’ My favourite way is to pick it up with your chopsticks at the top, where it is strongest as it’s important not to burst the wrapper, or you will lose the soup and all the fun will be gone. Then dunk the XLB in a dip made from Chinese black vinegar and fine shreds of ginger – a wonderful contrast to the rich pork filling. Finally, pop it onto a Chinese spoon to reduce the chances of it bursting, and then use your chopsticks to eat it.
Some experts say that when the XLB is on your spoon, you should take a bite to make a little hole in it, thus letting some of the steam out. I guess it's up to you, but I think the explosion in your mouth and the dangerous heat is all part of the fun!
In search of perfection
There are multiple articles both in books and online detailing the search for the perfect XLB – that's because what you order in one restaurant will be slightly different from the next. Maybe a smoother filling, neater pleats, and thinner skins are what we want in the perfect XLB; or a good bulge at the base, and lots of tasty soup trapped inside.
In your search for the perfect XLB you will come across some sad specimens with just a drop of soup, or weak skins that break before you eat. And making those pleats is a skill. Look at this one I recently had in Shanghai (pictured left)… it's beautiful!
XLB are also known as the Shanghai soup dumpling because they originate from that area. The most common variation adds crab (usually Shanghai hairy crab) to the pork mixture, and maybe a touch of orange crab roe attractively sitting on top. But to be honest there is no need for any variation; the classic XLB is perfect as it is.
How to make a XLB
It takes two days to make a proper XLB: first, you need to make the jellied stock, which is the most time-consuming part. When traditionally made (shut your eyes now if you don’t like 'strange' ingredients), pork skin is simmered in chicken stock for four hours until melted, and then the resulting product is blended, sieved and left overnight to set into a jelly. The next day, cubes of this jelly are mixed into the pork filling and wrapped.
If you want a classic recipe see the wonderful book Serve the People by Jen LinLiu, which tells of the author’s time apprenticing in Chinese restaurants and includes a few recipes. Otherwise a quick Google search brings up lots of quicker recipes, often involving a speedier but intense chicken stock with wings and bones instead of the pork skin.
Of course you don't need to go all the way to Shanghai to experience this joyful dumpling. It is on the menu of many UK Chinese restaurants, usually as a starter or in the dim sum section. Take the challenge and join those on the search for the perfect Xiao Long Bao, and share your recommendations in the comments below. I know I will!
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