Xiaolongbao (小笼包) — Shanghai Soup Dumplings

Prep:100 min

Cook:100 min

Serves:2–4

Difficulty:Medium

Xiaolongbao are the pinnacle of Chinese dumpling craft — delicate pleated parcels that contain, impossibly, a mouthful of hot soup along with a nugget of pork filling. The soup is not injected but made via a clever technique: a gelatinous aspic (made from pork skin and stock) is mixed into the filling when cold and solid. When the dumpling steams, the aspic melts into the hot soup that floods the interior. These are genuinely difficult to make — plan a full afternoon and approach it as a craft project.

Xiaolongbao (小笼包) originated in Nanxiang, a suburb of Shanghai, in the 19th century. They are now one of the most famous foods in Chinese cuisine and have become a global phenomenon.

Ingredients

• Aspic: 300g pork skin (cleaned), 500ml chicken stock, 2 spring onions, 2 slices ginger, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• Filling: 250g ground pork (fatty), 150ml cooled set aspic (finely chopped), 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp ginger (grated), 1 tsp sugar, white pepper, 2 spring onions (sliced)
• Dough: 200g plain flour, 100ml boiling water, pinch salt
• Dipping sauce: Chinkiang black vinegar, finely julienned fresh ginger

Instructions

1
Make aspic: simmer pork skin in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain. Add to fresh chicken stock with spring onions, ginger, and Shaoxing wine. Simmer 90 minutes until very gelatinous. Strain, cool, refrigerate until firmly set (at least 4 hours or overnight).
2
Make filling: chop the cold, firm aspic into very small cubes (5mm). Combine with ground pork and all filling seasonings. Keep refrigerated — the aspic must stay cold and solid.
3
Make dough: combine flour and salt. Add boiling water gradually while mixing. Knead 5 minutes until smooth. Rest covered for 30 minutes.
4
Roll dough into cylinders and cut into small 8g pieces. Roll each into a thin circle about 8cm, making the edges noticeably thinner than the centre.
5
Fill quickly (working in small batches to keep filling cold): place 1 tsp filling in centre. Gather the edges and pleat in small folds going around the dumpling — aim for 16-18 pleats. Twist closed at the top.
6
Steam on parchment-lined bamboo steamer over boiling water for exactly 8 minutes. Serve immediately — they collapse and lose their soup as they cool.

Pro Tips

💡Everything must be kept cold. Warm aspic melts before steaming and leaks out. Work quickly and refrigerate assembled dumplings immediately.
💡The pleating takes practice. Accept that your first batch won't look professional. The flavour is still excellent even with imperfect pleating.
💡The dough must be very thin — you should almost see your fingers through it when held up to light.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought stock instead of making aspic?

You need a gelatinous stock that sets solid when cold. Most store-bought won't work. You can add gelatin (1 sheet per 100ml stock) as a workaround.

Why are my xiaolongbao leaking soup?

Either the aspic melted before steaming (filling too warm), or there's a hole in the wrapper (too thin or poor sealing). Keep everything cold.

Can I freeze them?

Yes — freeze uncooked on a tray then bag. Steam directly from frozen for 12 minutes. Some soup loss is expected but they're still excellent.

Serving Suggestions

Serve immediately directly from the steamer. Place one on a spoon, nibble a tiny hole, blow gently, sip the soup, then eat the rest with Chinkiang vinegar and julienned ginger.