How to Make Delicious and Simple Xiao Long Bao at Home

How to make Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings)

• 1

  Making the soup jelly

  Put a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil over high heat. To clean and reduce the odor, blanch 250g of ribs for about 3 minutes, then pour out and rinse with cold water.

  Peel the ginger and wash it clean, then cut half of the piece into thin slices. For the green onions, discard the wilted leaves, cut off the roots, wash them clean, and chop half of the green part.

  In another pot, add 750ml of water and put in the pork ribs, sliced ginger, and chopped green onions, then bring to a boil over high heat. After that, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning into the pot and simmer for about 40 minutes on low heat.

  While preparing the broth, soak 10g of gelatin powder in 20ml of water for about 5 – 7 minutes. Then, strain the gelatin through a sieve into a bowl and pour in 300ml of broth just made, stir well, and place the mixture in the refrigerator for 4 – 5 hours to cool.

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Make the filling

  Chop the remaining ginger and green onions finely and put them in a bowl, add 200g of minced pork and season with a mixture of spices including: 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, 5g of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of ground pepper, then stir in one direction to help the meat bind together better, making the filling dense and chewy.

  After 4 – 5 hours, take the soup jelly out of the fridge, chop it finely and add it to the above mixture. Then, use plastic wrap to cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Making the dough

  Put 100g of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a bowl, mix well, and then add 1/2 teaspoon of cooking oil.

  Then, pour 60ml of warm water (about 70 – 80 degrees Celsius) into the flour mixture, stir well, and use your hands to knead until the dough is smooth. Wrap the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

  Take the dough out and cut it into pieces weighing about 7 – 8g. Use your hands to roll the dough into balls, then gently roll it out to flatten it evenly; afterwards, one hand holds the rolling pin while the other gently rotates the rolled-out dough. Roll the dough from the outside in to make the outer layer thin and even.

  Tip: You should sprinkle a layer of dry flour on the table or a similar surface to prevent the dough from sticking during the rolling process.

  
• 4

  Shaping and steaming Xiao Long Bao (Little dragon bun)

  Place the rolled-out dough onto your hand, scoop 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of the dough wrapper, then fold the edges to create pleats, using your hand to twist gently to seal the edges.

  Place a steamer pot on the stove, bring water to a boil over high heat, when the water boils, reduce to medium heat, then line the steamer with parchment paper or a cloth, arrange the buns, and steam for about 7 – 10 minutes.

  Tip: You should place the buns about one finger apart so that they do not stick together when they expand during steaming.

  
• 5

  Final Product

  Serve the Xiao Long Bao on a plate and enjoy! Remember to eat the dumplings with soy sauce and a bit of shredded ginger to enhance the flavors of the dumplings.

  The dumpling skin is soft and chewy, and the pork filling combined with the hot soup inside is incredibly appealing. When you bite into the dumpling, the soup inside flows out; add a spoonful of soy sauce and sip the soup to experience the elegance of cuisine that embodies Chinese culture.