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Xiaolongbao
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Xiaolongbao

Xiaolongbao is a steamed Chinese bun prepared in a bamboo basket and traditionally filled with pork.

Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Resting Time
12 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs
Servings: 25 pieces
Calories: 75 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

For the dough
  • 2¼ cups flour , sifted
  • ½ cup water at 97 F / 36°C, lukewarm
  • 1 pinch salt
  • For the pork jelly
  • 10 oz. pork rind clean
  • 6 oz. pork bones
  • 1 quart water , more or less
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorn
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 4 scallions
  • 3 tablespoons ginger chopped fresh
For the stuffing
  • 8 oz. pork , loin or blade, cut into pieces
  • 6 oz. pork jelly
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce light
  • ¼ teaspoon Sichuan pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt fine
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 scallion stalk , chopped
  • For the stuffing sauce
  • 1 ginger finely chopped, large piece, fresh
  • 1 scallion , chopped
  • ½ teaspoon Sichuan pepper
  • ½ cup water hot
  • For the dip
  • 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 10 fresh ginger thin slices
Equipment
  • Bamboo steamer , xiaolong
  • Stand mixer
  • food processor
  • parchment paper

Instructions

Pork jelly
    Cup of Yum
  1. The day before, prepare the pork jelly.
  2. In a small saucepan, add the pork rind and bones and cover with cold water.
  3. Bring to a boil, drain and immediately rinse the bones and pork rind to remove any impurities.
  4. Rinse the pan and put everything back in. Add 1 quart (1 liter) of water and the ginger, scallion, pepper and wine.
  5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
  6. After 2 hours, turn off the heat. Then add the baking soda, mix well with a whisk and filter everything into a bowl.
  7. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely.
  8. Once the liquid has completely cooled, refrigerate it overnight.
  9. The next day, a meat jelly will be formed.
Filling
  1. In a bowl, soak the chopped ginger, scallion and Sichuan pepper in hot water for 10 minutes to make ginger and green onion water.
  2. In a food processor, mix 6 oz. (200 g) of pork jelly for 1 minute. Set aside.
  3. Place the pork pieces in the food processor. Add salt, sugar, pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce.
  4. Mix with 15 second pauses.
  5. Then add the ginger and scallion water. Continue mixing, taking two one-minute breaks. Add the mixed pork jelly, the scallion stem and the sesame oil.
  6. Transfer to a bowl, mix for 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.
For the dough
  1. Combine the salt and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer
  2. Add the water and, using the dough hook, knead the dough at medium speed until it is smooth and stretchy and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. If the dough is too wet, add a little flour. If, on the contrary, it is too dry, add a little water very gradually.
  4. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and leave to rest for 1 hour at room temperature and away from drafts.
  5. Divide the dough into pieces of approximately ⅓ oz. (12 g) each and form balls.
  6. On a floured work surface, roll out each ball of dough into a disk approximately 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. It should be rolled out quite thinly and the edge should be thinner than the center.
  7. Place a disk of dough in the palm of one hand.
  8. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough.
  9. Close the dough with the thumb and index finger of the other right hand, pinching.
  10. Pinch in as many folds as possible: 12 to 20 folds should be enough. Make sure the top is well sealed.
  11. Repeat the process until running out of dough balls and filling.
Steam cooking
  1. Place the xiaolongbao in a steamer lined with parchment paper.
  2. Steam covered for about 8 to 10 minutes after reaching boiling point.
  3. Serve directly with mixed black rice vinegar, soy sauce and ginger slices.