Mastering the Art of Chinese Dumplings

Passport & Plate - Xiao Long Bao

Taiwan | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 5 photos

Ingredients

For Gelatin/Stock

Use your favorite pork based stock recipe (traditional xiao long bao use a broth made with pig skin)

4 cups broth
1 tablespoon Agar Agar or unflavored gelatin

Filling

1 lb ground pork
¼ - ½ lb peeled shrimp, deveined and minced
2 stalks of green onion, minced
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground (or freshly grated) ginger
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
½ teaspoon sesame oil
Salt and Pepper

Dumpling Skins

Round dumpling skins (found in most Asian markets) or make slightly thicker flour-based “bao” wrappers from scratch.

Dipping Sauce

1 tablespoon grated (or very finely chopped) ginger
Black vinegar
Soy Sauce


Directions

Broth

1. Bring 4 cups broth to a boil over high heat. As it starts to boil, turn off heat and add agar agar or gelatin. Whisk for two minutes or until powder is completely dissolved.
2. Pour broth into shallow baking dish to set. Place in refrigerator. The broth will need about 3-4 hours to set up so it’s best to make a day ahead if possible.
3. Once set, cut gelatin into ½ inch cubes.

Dumplings

1. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add gelatin cube to dumpling skin and cover with approximately 1 tablespoon of the pork filling.
3. Pinching one spot on the skin, begin to pleat all around until the dumpling is closed. You can use a little water on your fingers to keep the skin from separating at the top.
4. Using a saucepan that fits under a bamboo steamer, fill halfway with water and boil.
5. Arrange xiao long bao in steamer with cabbage or dumpling paper to prevent sticking. Dumplings should be approximately 1.5 – 2 inches apart.
6. Place the steamer basket over boiling water. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until thoroughly cooked and you can see soupy broth.

Dipping Sauce

1. Mix ¼ cup black vinegar and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce in a small bowl. Add ginger pieces and set back in the refrigerator until time to serve.

How to Eat Xiao Long Bao

With all the work that goes into making xiao long bao, it’s not surprising there is a proper way to eat them. Din Tai Fung, the restaurant that put xiao long bao on the culinary map, has placards depicting how to thoroughly enjoy them. Here are the recommended steps for consuming xiao long bao.

1. Using chopsticks, carefully pick up a dumpling without puncturing it.
2. Dip in the soy sauce and vinegar mixture.
3. Set on Asian style spoon and gently pierce the skin, allowing soup to leak onto the spoon.
4. Add several pieces of ginger on top of the dumpling.
5. Allow to cool for a minute and then eat directly from the spoon where you will taste a variety of flavors on your palate.

Story Behind This Recipe

In 2009 I took a huge leap of faith, ditching a lengthy career in litigation to move to Taiwan and pursue my dream as a travel and food writer. I’d never set foot in Taiwan before and was completely unaware of the country’s understated importance in the culinary world.

Upon arrival, I ended up in Din Tai Fung, a restaurant that would ultimately define my views on food and travel. My quick-paced love affair with its dumplings led me to start a culinary travel blog to share not only great eats around the globe, but the history behind them.

Din Tai Fung is home to the legendary xiao long bao dumplings, or “XLB” as many locals refer to them. I was instantly enamored, glued to the giant show window where workers effortlessly prepared hundreds of dumplings in the blink of an eye.

At that moment, I decided if I could bring one thing home from my upcoming time in Taiwan, it would be mastering the art of making xiao long bao and sharing it with others. From that moment, I began to look at food differently, taking a greater interest in the culinary techniques and historical background that play a part in a culture’s cuisine.

Chefs at Din Tai Fung undergo a rigorous training program to ensure dumplings are identical --- no less than 18 pleats and no more than 20. What sets xiao long bao apart from other Chinese dumplings is the rich broth floating around inside the dumpling skin. Sometimes referred to as Shanghai Soup Dumplings, there is even a recommended process for consuming xiao long bao.

While I have succumbed to the realization that I will never make xiao long bao as perfect as Din Tai Fung chefs, I am proud that I mastered the process well enough to recreate them for friends and family who’ve had to listen to me rave about them for over four years. And in the true spirit of this contest, I made my entry xiao long bao recipe for friends here in Belize who had not yet experienced authentic Chinese dumplings.