Xiaolongbao

Xiǎolóngbāo (Chinese小笼 包/小笼 包, Pinyin xiǎolóngbāo, small (steam) Bin bag ' ) are small dumplings filled with meat and broth. They are a type of baozi from eastern China, mainly from the regions of Shanghai and Jiangsu. These dumplings are traditionally in steam baskets made ​​of bamboo, and bamboo steamer called attenuated.

In Shanghai and the surrounding area they are usually Xiaolong Mantou (Chinese小笼 馒头/小笼 馒头, Pinyin xiǎolóng Mantou in Shanghai dialect: Siolon meudoe ) called. Mantou referred filled and unfilled pasta in South China, but only unfilled pasta in North China, hence the name Xiaolongbao is used in other parts of the country, but also increasingly in Shanghai itself.

Ingredients

The dough of the Xiaolongbaos is thin, round, slightly transparent and the bag is sealed at the top by folding and squeezing. Authentic Xiaolongbao have at least 14-fold. The dough shows a similarity to Jiaozi (see dumplings), the production is, however, different.

Xiaolongbao are small baozi, the diameter is usually 3 to 4 inches. They are traditionally filled with broth and meat, but there are also variants with seafood or vegetarian fillings. The broth is produced in the pastry when steaming by adding chilled meat gelatin in the filling. Due to the hot steam melts the gelatin into a broth.

Serving and eating

Traditionally, the Xiaolongbao to Dianxin so to the snacks. They are hot in the steam basket in which they were steamed and served. A Xiaolongbao is carefully removed with the chopsticks from the basket and dunked in a filled with rice vinegar and chopped ginger dish. To prevent burns of the mouth, the hot broth is first sucked out through a small hole in the Xiaolongbao and only then eaten all Xiaolongbao.

Originating in Shanghai

Xiaolongbao to Shanghai type are originally from the small town of Nanxiang, which is a suburb of Shanghai in the Jiading district. The inventor of the Xiaolongbao they originally sold at his shop in Nanxiang, which was next to the garden Guqi. From there it has spread to the city center of Shanghai and in other areas.

Today there are two stores in Shanghai, which apply to the Chinese as authentic. The first is the Nanxiang Mantou Dian, which emerged from the original store in Nanxiang, but today in the city center of Shanghai, in the market at the Yu Yuan Garden, is located. It is mainly famous for stuffed with crab meat Xiaolongbao. The business has a long tradition that extends over at least 105 years. The business operates branches in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The second force as authentic shop is located at the old site of the inventor of Xiaolongbao in Nanxiang.

Wuxi variant

Xiaolongbao in Wuxi are sweeter, have thicker walls, and the filling is more fluid than in Shanghai.