📝 About This Recipe
Originating from the Nanxiang suburb of Shanghai, these delicate parcels are a marvel of culinary engineering, featuring a rich, savory broth captured inside a thin, pleated wrapper. Each bite releases a burst of umami-rich soup and tender pork, balanced by the bright acidity of aged black vinegar and ginger. Mastering the art of the 'soup'—actually a chilled collagen-rich aspic that melts upon steaming—is the secret to creating this legendary dim sum experience at home.
🥗 Ingredients
The Soup Aspic (The 'Soup')
- 2 cups Chicken stock (high-quality or homemade)
- 1.5 tablespoons Gelatin powder (unflavored)
- 3 slices Fresh ginger (smashed)
- 1 stalk Scallion (cut into 2-inch pieces)
The Pork Filling
- 1 lb Ground pork (at least 20% fat for juiciness)
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce (light soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil (toasted)
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon White pepper (ground)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger (grated and squeezed for juice)
The Dough
- 2 cups All-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 1/2 cup Hot water (just off the boil)
- 1/4 cup Cold water (room temperature)
The Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup Chinkiang black vinegar (Chinese aged vinegar)
- 1 inch Fresh ginger (peeled and sliced into fine matchsticks)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the aspic: Simmer chicken stock, ginger, and scallions for 10 minutes. Remove aromatics, stir in gelatin until dissolved, pour into a shallow pan, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until firmly set.
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2
Make the dough: Place flour in a bowl. Slowly pour in hot water while stirring with chopsticks, followed by cold water. Knead by hand for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
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3
Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine ground pork, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and ginger juice. Stir vigorously in one direction for 5 minutes until the meat becomes a sticky paste.
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4
Incorporate the 'soup': Remove the set aspic from the fridge and mince it into tiny cubes. Gently fold the aspic cubes into the pork mixture. Keep the filling chilled until ready to assemble.
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5
Divide the dough: Roll the rested dough into long ropes and cut into small pieces, roughly 12-15 grams each. Keep pieces covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.
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6
Roll the wrappers: Flatten a dough ball with your palm. Use a small rolling pin to roll the edges thinner than the center, creating a 3.5-inch circle with a 'belly' in the middle to support the soup.
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7
Fill the dumplings: Place about 1 tablespoon of the chilled filling in the center of a wrapper.
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8
Pleat and seal: Using your thumb and forefinger, create tiny pleats around the edge (aim for 18+ pleats). Twist and pinch the top firmly to seal the 'crown' completely.
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9
Prepare the steamer: Line a bamboo steamer with perforated parchment paper or cabbage leaves to prevent sticking.
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10
Steam: Arrange dumplings in the steamer, leaving 1 inch of space between them. Place over a pot of boiling water and steam on high heat for 8-10 minutes.
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11
Check for doneness: The wrappers should look translucent and the dumplings should appear 'heavy' with liquid at the bottom. Serve immediately while piping hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always keep your dough and wrappers covered with a damp cloth; they dry out quickly and will crack during pleating. Don't skimp on the fat in the pork; a lean filling will result in a tough, rubbery meatball inside your soup. When rolling, ensure the center of the wrapper is thicker than the edges to prevent the bottom from breaking under the weight of the soup. If the filling starts to get warm and the aspic melts while you are pleating, put it back in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up. To eat without burning yourself: place the dumpling on a spoon, poke a small hole to let steam escape, sip the broth, then eat the dumpling with vinegar and ginger.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of Chinkiang black vinegar and plenty of fresh ginger matchsticks. Pair with a light, crisp cucumber salad tossed in garlic and sesame oil to cut through the richness. A pot of hot Jasmine or Oolong tea is the traditional beverage of choice to aid digestion. Serve as part of a dim sum spread alongside pan-fried potstickers or steamed bok choy. For a spicy kick, offer a side of crispy chili oil (Lao Gan Ma).