XIAO LONG BAO WRAPPER RECIPES

Steps:

• PORK STOCK JELLY
• Blanch pork bones in boiling water to remove impurities. Discard water, then add spring onion, ginger, chicken stock concentrate, shaoxing wine and water. Bring the stock to a boil and then simmer for at least 30 minutes for the flavour of the pork bones to infuse into the stock. After boiling, I ended up with about 750ml of stock. You can use all 750ml of stock if you want more soup in your dumplings, but I used only about 500ml. Note: I used Maggi brand chicken stock concentrate but you can also use real chicken stock or chicken stock powder/cubes.
• Add gelatin to ice cold water and mix well. Allow gelatin to bloom. Add bloomed gelatin into the hot stock (at least 40°C) and whisk until gelatin fully dissolves.
• Pour the stock into a container and chill for at least 6 hours or until fully set. If you are in a rush, you can put the container in the freezer instead. It will take around 2-3 hours instead.
• PORK FILLING
• In a mixing bowl, add minced pork, spring onion, ginger, light soya sauce, dark soya sauce, sesame oil, salt, sugar, pepper & cornstarch, and mix well.
• Remove the pork stock jelly from the chiller and cut into small pieces. Add the pork stock jelly to the pork filling and mix well. Note: As the pork stock jelly can melt at room temperatures, keep the filling in the chiller when not in use.
• DUMPLING WRAPPER
• In a mixing bowl, combine plain flour & hot water (just boiled) together, and knead to form a dough.
• Knead for at least 5 minutes, then cling wrap the dough and let it rest for at least 30 minutes so that the gluten can relax.
• After resting, cut the dough into half and roll both halves into a long log. Cut the log into small pieces weighing 5g each. Use a rolling pin to roll out the ball into a flat, thin wrapper. It should be around 6.5cm in diameter.
• Fill each wrapper with 16g of filling.
• Fold the xiao long bao by pleating & lightly pulling the edges repeatedly. When the xiao long bao is almost completely pleated, pinch the edges together and twist slightly to seal it. Your xiao long bao should have about 18 folds.
• STEAMING
• Line a bamboo steamer with a parchment paper (with holes) or a steaming cloth, and place the xiao long baos into the steamer.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil, then steam the xiao long baos for about 4.5 to 5 minutes.
• Remove bamboo steamer from the pot, and make a small bite in the xiao long bao to release the soup onto a spoon. Dip the xiao long bao in a saucer of black vinegar & julienned ginger, and enjoy!

Steps:

• Three days before, combine 10 cups water and all remaining soup ingredients except gelatin in large pot. Bring to boil, spooning off any foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until chicken pieces are very soft and beginning to fall apart, adding more water by cupfuls if necessary to keep chicken submerged, about 2 hours 30 minutes.
• Strain soup; discard solids. Return broth to same pot. Boil until reduced to 2 cups, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour 3 tablespoons water into small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens. Add to hot broth; stir until gelatin is dissolved. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass dish. Cover; refrigerate aspic overnight.
• Two days before, combine all filling ingredients in large bowl and mix with fork just until blended. Cut aspic into 1/3-inch cubes. Add 1/3 of the aspic cubes to pork mixture; stir gently with wooden spoon just until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate. Return aspic to refrigerator.
• Mix 1 cup black vinegar, 6 tablespoons soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons fresh ginger strips in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• One day prior, line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1 dumpling wrapper on work surface. Spoon 1 very generous teaspoon filling onto center of wrapper, including at least 2 aspic cubes.
• Lightly brush edges of dumpling wrapper with water. Bring 1 corner of wrapper up around filling, then pleat remaining edges of wrapper at regular intervals all around filling until filling is enclosed and wrapper forms bundle-like shape with small opening at top.
• Gather top edges of wrapper together and twist at top to enclose filling. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Refrigerate, covered, for 1 day, or freeze in single layer in covered containers for 2 weeks.
• On the day of, line each layer of bamboo steamer basket with cabbage leaves; place over wok filled with enough water to reach just below bottom of bamboo steamer basket. (Or line metal steamer rack with cabbage leaves and set over water in large pot.) Place dumplings atop cabbage, spacing apart.
• Bring water to boil. Cover; steam until cooked through, adding more water to wok if evaporating too quickly, about 12 minutes for fresh dumplings and 15 minutes for frozen. Serve dumplings immediately, passing sauce alongside for dipping.