Making Pork Soup Dumplings (the easy way)

Before Covid-19 struck we used to visit a restaurant in the city where we would enjoy the most delicious Shanghai-style dumplings and food. For Lunar New Year we wanted to have soup dumplings but with restaurants either closed or heavily restricted we knew we could not visit our favorite place. So we decided to make our own pork soup dumplings, or Xiaolongbao. 

These are perfect from the upcoming Lunar New Year if you would like to celebrate. 

I'm never one to turn down a themed dinner (or nail design, lol)!

Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about these.

Soup dumplings are steamed dumplings filled with pork and soup broth. The key ingredient is the agar agar powder which solidifies the broth so you can fold it in the dumpling dough but then turns back to broth as you steam them. Hence pork soup dumplings. 

The first step is to make the soup part of the dumpling. It was so easy. I'm pretty sure it was just broth, a slice of pork bacon, roughly chopped green onions, and ginger. You also make the dough with flour, bread flour, and water.

You strain out the solids, pour the liquid into a dish, and put the dish in the fridge to solidify. You also put the dough in a bowl and let it rest. Once the broth solidifies you cube it into little squares and mix with your ground pork and green onions.

Once you are ready to make the dumplings, take your dough and divide it into 12 equal balls. Then flatten with your palm and roll out until it's thin and roughly 4 inches round.

Then add a spoonful of the meat and broth cube onto each dough circle.

See the little squares that look like onions? That is the solid broth. Roll and pinch the dough up and around the meat until you form a dumpling pouch (just do your best--I know I didn't do mine correctly). You'll have the cutest little dumpling pockets.

Add six or so to each level of your parchment-paper lined steamer basket and add the steamer basket to a sauté pan filled with ~2 inches of water (not enough to submerge the bottom layer though). 

You may have to add water as the dumplings steam to ensure the pan doesn't go dry.

Steam your dumplings for 10 minutes to cool the pork and release the broth. Then enjoy!

Now don't take it from me but I think the proper way to eat soup dumplings is to pick it up, take a small bite to allow you to suck the soup out, and then eat the rest of the dumpling.

What is your favorite Asian recipe?

Have you ever tried soup dumplings?

What is one dish you have never prepared yourself but always wanted to?