🍽️ Xiaolongbao

Thin-skinned dumplings with juicy filling, eaten with vinegar and ginger.

Xiaolongbao are Shanghai's most iconic dumplings. Paper-thin leavened dough wraps a pork filling set with congealed aspic, pleated at the top and steamed quickly in bamboo baskets. Out of the steamer the skins are translucent, and a small nib releases a rush of piping-hot broth melted from the jelly; diners sip the soup first, then eat the dumpling with shredded ginger and vinegar. The meat is juicy, savory with a hint of sweetness, and the skin springy rather than sticky. Shanghainese enjoy a basket at breakfast, lunch or banquets, and old shops always draw queues. Xiaolongbao are an essential Shanghai tasting for visitors and have become the national face of Chinese soup dumplings.