Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the Dough: Mix the flour and warm water, kneading for 10 minutes until perfectly smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes.

2. 2

   Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, mix the ground pork with the minced ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Whip vigorously in one direction until the meat becomes a sticky paste. Gently fold in the diced, solid aspic cubes. Keep the filling cold in the fridge.

3. 3

   Roll the Wrappers: Divide the rested dough into small 10g pieces. Roll each piece into a 3.5-inch circle. The edges must be rolled thinner than the center to hold the soup without breaking the pleats.

4. 4

   Wrap and Pleat: Place 1 tbsp of the cold filling in the center of a wrapper. Pinch and fold the edge, creating 15-20 tiny pleats all the way around, twisting the top tightly to seal it completely so no soup escapes.

5. 5

   Steam: Line a bamboo steamer with perforated parchment paper or napa cabbage leaves. Place the dumplings 1.5 inches apart. Steam over rapidly boiling water for exactly 8-10 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve: Serve immediately, still in the bamboo steamer. Eat carefully by biting a small hole to sip the hot soup before eating the dumpling, ideally dipped in black vinegar and julienned ginger.