What Are Xiao Long Bao?
Dec 24th, 2007 by admin
I’m writing this as a short companion piece to my post on How To Eat Xiao Long Bao or Shanghai Dumplings. If you’re not already a die-hard fan of xiao long bao, you’ll be converted once you’ve tried them. Then you’ll be on the never-ending quest to find the perfect xiao long bao…
Xiao long bao in Mandarin Chinese literally means ’small basket dumplings’, and originally come from Nanxiang, a suburb of Shanghai, China. The dumpling traditionally contains minced pork intricately wrapped in a delicate dough skin, which is then pleated multiple times, twisted at the top and steamed. There are now many variations on the filling, such as crab meat and pork, shrimp and pork, vegetable and pork, and just vegetables.
But the most special part of the Shanghai dumpling is the soup or broth inside it. I’m not even going to start describing how this is made, as it’s rather complicated, but it involves preparing the soup, chilling it and adding a small cube of the solidified broth gelee to the filling, which liquifies when steamed. The explosive combination of filling, soup and skin when bitten into is sensational, to say the least.
The xiao long bao are usually served in large bamboo steamers and come in multiples of eight or ten, but it really depends on where you eat them and if you’re eating them as a main meal or as part of a dim sum lunch, when they might come in threes. They are eaten dipped in light vinegar, with finely shredded ginger slivers. And apparently they come in different sizes, small, medium and large (the latter eaten with the aid of a straw to suck out the soup!), but I’ve only had the small version, which seems to be the most common.
As for how to eat them, please read the post I mention above. It’s quite easy once you’ve practised a few times, but there are a few ways to enjoy them properly, without tearing the skin and losing the precious soup. I also wouldn’t recommend popping the whole dumpling in your mouth like some people do, unless you want to seriously burn yourself. Some dumplings are completely sealed at the top, while others come with a small hole. With the latter, it’s less easy to burn your mouth, but be careful nevertheless.
How are xiao long bao rated? People take into account the thickness and texture of the skin; the quantity of soup (a soupless, dry xiao long bao is such a disappointment, which I recently experienced); the quality and moistness of the filling; the quantity of the filling (it should fill most of the dumpling and not be a measly bit inside a large skin); and generally the dumpling should taste extremely fresh, as it should be prepared upon ordering and not made in advance.
Hopefully I’ll go to Shanghai in the near future, so that I can eat xiao long bao in their city of origin. Meanwhile, I just order them wherever I go, to try them in different cities and countries. So far, Din Tai Fung in Taipei, Taiwan, is top of my list for the best xiao long bao. Admittedly, it is a famous brand and an international chain, resulting in high quality and attention to detail. A Taiwanese company dating from 1958, it opened its first Shanghai branch as recently as 2001. However, I’ve also had excellent dumplings at a simple food stall in Shilin night market in Taipei, so it goes to show, the perfect xiao long bao could be lurking anywhere…
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I always love reading your posts. Such interesting information. It is 24th Dec here, and so time for me to wish all of my blog friends a wonderful peaceful and blessed time with family and friends tomorrow. May it be a day where each of us can give a lot of joy to those around us. Enjoy your time with family and friends.
Agreed with VegeYum! I love this new series of posts, Helen.
My favourite xiao long bao place is also Din Tai Fung… I remember we’d go to the one in Taipei at around 5-5:30 to avoid the crowds! I’ve never been disappointed at DTF, either. If you ever get the chance though, try out Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant – I went to the one in HK this summer and I was really, really impressed (not only with the xiao long bao, but with the other dishes as well). I’ll be going back there next month… think another visit is in order!
Merry Christmas and a happy new year as well!
Thanks Charmaine, for the recommendation. If I make it to HK next year, I’ll definitely go. Enjoy your holiday in HK, lucky you! And take some photos of course…Happy Christmas to you too, and a great 2008 of blogging!… Helen Yuet Ling
[...] some xiao long bao. The World Foodie blog also has a nice explanation of the [...]
1. The original DTF store at the address No.194, Sec. 2, Sinyi Rd. (Yong Kang Street in), Da-an District, Taipei City10651, Taiwan (R.O.C.) Tel: (02) 2321-8928 shall be better.
2. If you can read Chinese, please take a few minutes to surveying the website: ( http://www.businesstoday.com.tw/web_content/article.aspx ).
After that, you may probably realize that your rating 8.5 was too low. With a pefection chasing restaurant as DTF, we feel somewhat proud of being living in Taiwan.
Gordon Chang – Thanks for this. I think I probably did give DTF too low a rating in retrospect! I went in the days before I was doing a proper rating system. I still think the best XLBs I’ve tried so far are from DTF. Hopefully going to one of the Beijing branches next week, but will it be the same as in Taipei??
Helen Yuet Ling
OMG I could only dare to make XLB this pretty! They are soo labor intensive to make! Luckily I succeeded in producing that scrumptious soup that bursts out of every pouch!
katiek – unfortunately I don’t make xiao long bao and don’t plan to, from what I’ve read! Too much effort. I much prefer searching for the perfect XLB around the world…
Helen Yuet Ling
I was lucky enough to try XLB in Shanghai recently. My favourite was the pork and crab XLB at Din Tai Fung although these were 5 – 6 times pricier than XLB from more modest places but at £4 for 5 dumplings not bad by UK standards. In some places, you can pick up a dozen XLB for less than the equivalent of 70p.
admin Reply:
August 20th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Mr Noodles – Din Tai Fung is quite pricey compared to local Shanghai places, I’ve heard. Din Tai Fung is Taiwanese after all. I’d love to go to Shanghai one day!
AAARGGH!
We are fan of XLB, but we live in Italy (Milan) and even Chinese living here do not know what we are talking about! There seems to be no trace of XLB in Milan…
can anybody help us????
ciao,
B
Barbara – sorry, I don’t know anything about Chinese restaurants in Milan, but if anyone can help you, I’m sure they’ll leave a comment here!
Helen Yuet Ling