Homemade Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao)

Ingredients

• 500 g Pork skin or high-collagen pork bones (For the soup jelly)
• 1 L Water (For boiling the broth)
• 2 inch Ginger (Sliced, for broth and filling)
• 3 Green onions (For broth and filling)
• 400 g Ground pork (Preferably with some fat content)
• 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp Sesame oil
• 0.5 tsp Sugar
• Salt (to taste)
• 250 g All-purpose flour (For the dough)
• 125 ml Hot water (For the dough)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the soup jelly: Place pork skin or bones in a pot with 1 liter of water, ginger slices, and green onions. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 hours until the liquid has reduced significantly and is very rich in collagen.

2. 2

   Strain the broth into a shallow container, discarding the solids. Place the container in the refrigerator overnight (or at least 6 hours) until it sets into a firm jelly.

3. 3

   Once set, remove the jelly from the fridge and finely mince or dice it into small cubes.

4. 4

   Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and finely minced ginger and green onions. Mix vigorously in one direction until the meat becomes tacky and paste-like.

5. 5

   Gently fold the minced soup jelly into the pork mixture until evenly distributed. Keep the filling chilled until ready to use.

6. 6

   Make the dough: Combine flour and hot water in a bowl. Knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

7. 7

   Divide the dough into small, equal-sized pieces (about 10-12g each). Roll each piece into a thin circle, making the edges thinner than the center.

8. 8

   Place a spoonful of filling in the center of a wrapper. Pleat the edges together to seal the top, creating the signature soup dumpling shape.

9. 9

   Line a steamer basket with parchment paper or cabbage leaves. Place the dumplings in the steamer, ensuring they do not touch.

10. 10

    Steam over boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately while hot, ideally with black vinegar and ginger matchsticks.

Notes

The jelly must be made a day in advance to ensure it sets properly. If you cannot find pork skin, you can use high-quality unflavored gelatin powder mixed into concentrated chicken or pork broth as a shortcut.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• dumplings
• chinese
• steamed
• pork
• xiao long bao
• dinner