Shanghai Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) 

Ingredients

2 cups homemade chicken stock

½ tsp sale

2 tsp gelatine 3 garlic cloves

1 lb ground pork

½ tsp minced lemongrass

1tbsp minced ginger

2/3 cup diced water chestnuts

2 green onions, thinly sliced  

½ tsp soy sauce

1 ½ tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp sea salt

½ tsp white pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup cooked and chopped vermicelli rice noodles

40 round wonton wrappers

Savoy cabbage

 

Method

For stock – pour stock into a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir in salt and continue to boil until the stock has reduced by half.  Remove from heat.  Sprinkle gelatine into a bowl of ½ cup water and allow gelatine to bloom (when it expands and absorbs all the water)

 

Pour gelatine mixture into the hot stock, stir until dissolved and pour into a shallow baking dish.  Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Once aspic is ready – cut into ½ inch squares and continue to refrigerate until ready to use.

 

For filling – In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and gently mix together until fully combined, making sure not to overwork the meat mixture.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or until ready to use To assemble:  Brush some egg wash over the surface of a wonton wrapper and fill with 2 teaspoons of filling.  Top filling with 1 or 2 small cubes of aspic and carefully gather the perimeter of the wonton and pull it to the centre, to create a pouch.  Gently twist the gathered wonton to seal the pouch and pinch of the end.

 

Line a bamboo steamer and line it with a single layer of savoy cabbage.  Place steamer over a pot filled up halfway with water and boil over medium-high heat.  Steam dumplings for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the filling has cooked through and the stock has melted into liquid.

 

Allow dumplings to cool for 1to 2 minutes before serving in the steamer.