Xiao Long Bao 小笼包

           Dish of the Day: Xiao Long Bao!


If we were to imagine the most iconic kind of food in the Chinese cuisine, a lot of us would default to dumplings. That might be easy to some people but the Chinese has mastered the art of folding dumplings. The 4,000 years of history of China has led China to produce one of the widest spectrum of dumplings. So even among dumplings in the Chinese cuisine, there are so many types to choose from!

Fried Jiaozi (top left) Wonton (top right) Steamed Baozi (bottom left) Steamed Jiaozi (bottom right)

There are so many kinds of dumplings to choose from each from a specific region and prepared in a distinct style. While each dumpling is delicious in its own unique way, there is one in kind of dumpling that stands above and beyond from its competitors. This succulent dumpling has a unique texture and is literally mouth watering delicious! Welcome to Dish of the Day where I will be focusing on a specific dish; this week we will be talking about my all-time favorite Chinese dish: Xiao Long Bao! 小笼包！

                                    XLB

Xiao Long Bao is a very popular dumpling dish originating from northern Southeast China, specifically near the Shanghai area. Xiao Long Bao has so many names and nicknames throughout China and the world! Xiao Long Bao 小笼包 literally means "Little Dragon Buns" or sometimes even "Little Basket Buns" as these dumplings are usually steamed and served in a bamboo basket, and "xiao long bao" could be translated as either or. In the west these dumplings are commonly referred to as Soup Dumplings, or Shanghai Soup Dumplings. The specialty of this dish is as its name suggests, filled with soup! I personally like to nickname these, "The Dragon Princess of Chinese dumplings." Okay, I am not that weird, just hear me out. Xiao Long Bao is one of the most popular dishes in Southern China and its specialty is how fragile and powerful it tastes. It is very small yet one of the most important players in the kingdom of Chinese dumplings. 

Crab and Pork XLB, one of the most popular fillings. 

History:

The exact origin of Xiao Long Bao is not clear, as people are known to have made this dish for quite some time. However, it can be stated that it was created in the late 19th Century to the early 20th Century in the suburb of Nanxiang, located in Shanghai. Nanxiang is now a famous tourist destination since it is considered the birthplace of the Xiao Long Bao, especially Guyi Garden, where it is said that this is the exact location where the first Xiao Long Bao was sold. So if you guys ever get hooked on XLB, make sure to make a pilgrimage to the birthplace! Nanxiang is very easy to visit from Shanghai. 

Nanxiang suburb, where XLB is said to have originated.

Nanxiang Mantou Dian, one of the oldest vendors still serving XLB!

Geographically speaking, Xiao Long Bao makes perfect sense. Compared to dumplings and buns of northern China which is very hearty and meaty, the Shanghainese Xiao Long Bao is more conservative in dough and meat yet having a flavor just as strong. South China has a more warm and fertile climate, more suited for rice paddies than fields of wheat. Shanghai is in the weird situation where it is in the center, too south to be called northern and too northern to be called southern. Northern China has foods that are hearty and contain dough, while South China has more elegant flavors like soup. Some genius in Nanxiang decided to mix both, and so the Xiao Long Bao infuses both the use of northern dough and southern soup. The best of both worlds!

The unique features about Xiao Long Bao are the delicate and almost transparent skin and the succulent soup inside. 

Notice how thin the skin is! As if it is almost transparent

Inside the delicate skin has a soup that is full of flavor!

Eating XLB:

The most fun and tricky part of eating Xiao Long Bao is making sure you don't break the skin and lose all the soup! However you want to do it, whether it is popping the whole thing in your mouth and letting the juice burst, or nibbling the delicate skin and drinking the soup first, nothing is wrong! Eating this dumpling you must always use a spoon to catch the soup. GENTLY pick up the dumpling from the bamboo basket and put it on the spoon, and the next is up to you! Eating this would not be complete without a special sauce, a mixture of Chinese vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger. People love to mix this sauce with the soup! It makes the soup less oily and gives it a rich sour-savory taste.

This sauce has "Shanghai" written all over it!

Taste:

Chinese buns and dumplings will fill you up fast, but Xiao Long Bao are only meant as snacks or "xiao chi"(literally means little eats). These bite sized dumplings usually come in an order of 6 or 8 and shared at one table. But don't underestimate these little guys because they pack a punch much bigger than their actual size. For someone who has never had Xiao Long Bao, it will give them a delicious and juicy surprise! When you bite down, you will first taste the thin crepe-like skin followed by the soup which is savory, smooth, and greasy. Lastly the filling, which is either pork, shrimp, or crab and pork, can be tasted with every ingredient putting in its best effort to make you come back for me. The ginger, white pepper, scallion, and even the wine inside are all bursting with flavor. Now you will understand why the Chinese pride their dumplings so much!

OH YES!!!

Influence:

Xiao Long Bao was indeed invented in Shanghai during the Guangxu Period, but it did not get international recognition without the help of Taiwan and the giant Taiwanese chain, Din Tai Fung. During the late 1900's popular Taiwanese restaurant Din Tau Fung started to serve Xiao Long Bao allowing customers to witness the chefs making each bun. This was great as it showed the proper and delicate way to knead the dough and fold the skin, and eventually Xiao Long Bao became a widespread phenomenon at Taiwan. Din Tai Fung as we know today is one of the most successful Asian chains still retaining its authentic taste, and it has since expanded to America where it instantly became a hit. Now you can find Xiao Long Bao at almost every authentic Chinese restaurant in the US and the Western World. Now Xiao Long Bao is one of the most popular Chinese in the world with many Chinese people introducing this dish as what real Chinese food is like. Some restaurants have so many creative variations of Xiao Long Bao including different flavor of skin and even dessert options with chocolate filling! Some restaurants that are particularly notable in America is of course Din Tai Fung in the West Coast and Joe's Shanghai in the East Coast. I know Kung Fu Dumpling in NYC has chocolate Xiao Long Bao! The best Xiao Long Bao place is arguable Jia Jia Tang Bao in Shanghai, and Nanxiang Mantou Dian in Nanxiang is only of the oldest restaurants to serve Xiao Long Bao. 

Rainbow XLB with different flavor of skin!

What a fusion... Chocolate XLB?

Jia Jia Tang Bao in Shanghai, people say it has the best XLB in the World!

In the West Coast DTF is the most famous Asian chain, of course with XLB.

The East Coast's Joe's Shanghai is DTF's top competitor!

Final Verdict:

I am Chinese and I love my culture and take a lot of pride of our cuisine. But if I had to choose a favorite dish, it would be one of the toughest choices of my life (I'm not kidding) but I would have to say its the Xiao Long Bao. There really isn't anything in the world that comes close to this dish! My final verdict is of course to try one ASAP! Then be like me addicted and planning a trip to Shanghai as I type this blog. So my fellow foodies, go and try one and let me know how you think! Also let me know what suggestions you guys have for the next Dish of the Day and let me know if I missed any details. Its been real, but I am so hungry I have to go, and you guys should come to! I will see you guys next time in Nanxiang!

Contact me at: meiweicafe@gmail.com