Xiao Long Bao (Chinese Soup Dumplings)

Aspic

• 300 g Pork rind
• 20 g Ginger root
• 2 pieces Spring onion
• 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine
• ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp White pepper
• 1.2 liters Water

Dough

• 300 g Plain flour
• 170 ml Water, hot
• ½ tsp Fine sea salt

Filling and assembly

• 350 g Minced pork
• 10 g Ginger root
• 2 pieces Spring onion
• 1 ½ tbsp Light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing Cooking Wine
• 1 tsp Sesame oil
• ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp White pepper

1. Rinse the pork rind well, then put it in a large pot with the water. Add the ginger and spring onion, bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
2. Simmer for 60 minutes, topping up with a little water if needed so the rind stays mostly submerged. Stir in the light soy sauce, Shaoxing Cooking Wine, fine sea salt and white pepper for the last 5 minutes.
3. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a shallow dish, pressing to extract as much gelatin-rich stock as possible. Cool to room temperature, then chill until fully set and firm.
4. Make the dough: put the plain flour and fine sea salt in a mixing bowl. Pour in the hot water and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead until smooth and elastic.
5. Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes so it relaxes and rolls thinly without springing back.
6. Finely grate the ginger and thinly slice the spring onion. In a bowl, mix the minced pork with the ginger, spring onion, light soy sauce, Shaoxing Cooking Wine, sesame oil, fine sea salt and white pepper until tacky and well combined.
7. Cut the chilled aspic into small cubes, then fold it through the pork mixture so it stays in distinct pieces. Keep the filling chilled while you roll the wrappers so the aspic does not soften.
8. Divide the dough into 20 pieces and keep them covered as you work. Roll each piece into a thin round, leaving the centre slightly thicker than the edges.
9. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of each wrapper, then pleat and pinch to seal at the top. Set each dumpling upright and keep them covered while you finish shaping the rest.
10. Bring water to a steady boil in the steamer base. Steam the dumplings in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, until the wrappers look glossy and slightly translucent and the filling is cooked through.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.