Homemade Soup Dumplings
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An easier Xiao Long Bao recipe that teaches you how to use commonly found ingredients to create restaurant-quality soup dumplings in your own kitchen.

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What are soup dumplings (Xiao Long Bao)


Xiao Long Bao (小笼包), or soup dumplings, are a type of steamed dumpling from Shanghai cuisine (Jiangsu province for the greater region). In China, you will find there are many versions of soup dumplings that come in different flavors and sizes, but the most popular one is Xiao Long Bao. It features a paper thin wrapper filled with a very mild pork filling and a pocket of fragrant soup, served with a gingery vinegar dipping sauce. Xiao Long Bao is a type of dim sum that is traditionally enjoyed as a snack or during a meal as an appetizer or even a main dish. It’s certainly a complicated dish to make at home. But it’s such a great way to impress your guests if you’re hosting a dinner party.

Ingredients you will need for this recipe



Making the buns

📌Line a steamer rack with napa cabbage leaves or prepare some square parchment paper for steaming the dumplings.

📌Take out the wrappers and cover them with a few layers of wet paper towels to prevent them from drying out.

📌Work on the buns one at a time. Shape one piece of dough with your fingers so it is a round piece, then flatten it with your palm. Use a small rolling pin to roll out the wrapper, spinning the dough after rolling a few times. Roll until the wrapper is very thin, about 4 1/2” (11 cm) in diameter.

📌Place 22 g (about 1 tablespoon) of the filling onto the center of the wrapper. Fold and pinch the edges of the wrapper to create pleats (see the wrapping process in action in my cooking video). When you are about to seal the pleats, leave a small opening on the top of the dumplings

📌Place the wrapped dumplings onto the napa cabbage or parchment paper. Cover loosely with a few layers of wet paper towels to prevent drying out. Work on the rest of the dumplings until you can fill the steamer rack – you should leave at least 2” (5 cm) between the dumplings



Quick home Made Dumplings Recipe


Total Time: 1hour 30minutes
Yields: 20 dumplings

Instructions

📌 Add the grated ginger into a small bowl and pour in 1/4 cup hot water. Let sit while preparing other ingredients.

📌The chicken broth you have should have become congealed with a layer of fat on top. Scrape off the fat and reserve it in a small bowl.

📌Slice the chicken gelatin into thin strips, then further into small cubes. Coarsely mince it into bits.

📌Measure the chopped gelatin. If it’s less than 4.4 oz (120 g), add a few spoonfuls of the chicken fat until it reaches 4.4 oz (120 g). You can discard or reserve the remaining chicken fat for future use. Store the gelatin in the fridge while not using.

📌Add the ground pork into a medium-sized bowl. Add the ginger water, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt, sugar and white pepper. Beat with a spatula until the liquid is fully absorbed and the filling becomes sticky and bouncy, 5 minutes or so.

📌Add the chopped chicken jelly and green onions. Mix until incorporated

📌Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to use. The filling can be stored in the fridge for a couple of hours, but I do not recommend storing it for too much longer, because the liquid will start to seep out.


Cooking the Dumplings

📌Prepare the dipping sauce by adding 1 tablespoon of Chinese vinegar and a few strips of ginger to each small sauce plate.

📌Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover the steamer rack with a lid and place it over the boiling water. Steam over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the number of dumplings you cook at a time.

📌Once done cooking, serve immediately with the dipping sauce.


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