I just returned from dinner at a place here in San Francisco called Shanghai Dumpling King, where Michele and I enjoyed their famous Xiao Long Bao, or, as it’s also known, Shanghai soup dumplings. I got the tip from my friend, Amy Sherman, from Cooking with Amy, and she was not kidding. They were so incredibly good.
The photo is of some crab and pork dumplings I just posted on Instagram (btw, if you want to follow my foodie adventures in all their photographic glory, you should get that app). When I got home, I went to YouTube to try and find a how-to video for it, and lo and behold, there was a great one…shot in the exact same restaurant we had just left! I love when that happens.
Anyway, this comes from the fine folks at Chow.com, and features chef Andrea Nguyen, author of the celebrated cookbook, Asian Dumplings, and Shanghai Dumpling King’s chef and owner Lu Kuang. Enjoy!
25 comments:
This just makes me smile! I make a ton of different dumplings, but have yet to make soup dumplings...I'm afraid that I'll do all the work, then screw up so royally that it will be depressing. :)
Now that doesn't sound like the Fuji Mama we know and love! ;-) Go for it! (i'm going to try I think)
Hi there, you have a very nice blog and the concept is unique. keep it up. :)
Ahem. Yes. I'll take 3 orders of that to go please.
I need to go there now. Saturday for sure. Thanks Chef John, you tell me about all theses great places to go and get fat.
Made my mouth water! What kind of vinegar was used for dipping? I want to see if the Asian markets around here have it available.
Oh you should definitely try this Chef John! I am Chinese, and I love love love these. I'm from Beijing, however, and not Shanghai, so when I go back to China each year this Xiao Long Bao is still a delicacy for us Northerners. I just made one huge trip to Chinatown here in NYC and bought that ChinKiang vinegar but had no idea what to do with it. Dumplings would be a fabulous idea. Traditionally our family eats dumplings with the vingar and fresh minced garlic. As always, thank you for the constant inspiration :)
Jessica
If you want to know what else to order at Shanghai Dumpling King, check out my review: http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2005/06/shanghai-dumpling-shop-restaurant.html
I know this is sacrilegious to admit, but I think the XLB at Yank Sing are way way better (and way pricier)...
Wow, makes me want to jump on BART right now and get there for some of those...YUM!
Nice! Comments on that video don't need the approval of the foodwishes guy! As an opponent of censorship, I find this to be a wonderful change.
Hmm. This comment does need your authoritarian approval though. Will it be approved?
I only censor spammers, trolls and idiots.
loves xiao long baos!
the commentator's spoken chinese is so bad!!
i want some! anyway the right way of eating a xiaolongbao is to dip the folded section of the dumpling in the vinegar grab some ginger with it and either put the entire thing in your month or bite a small hole from the top of the dumpling and suck up the soup. in that way the vinegar mixes with the soup (which is after all a very typical chinese thing to do, (soup with dark vinegar =)
I commonly go broke on the price of shao long bao here in the states.. When I'm over in China, I load up with 4-5 orders and stuff myself insanely full.
I've tried and failed several times, the soup is the part I can't get down. I've gotten it to gel perfectly with gelatin, but the flavor is totally off. Will be excited to hear your results...
I also prefer of the "explosion" eating method, of putting it all in your mouth and allowing the soup to explode inside you mouth. (and yes, I've suffered some bad burns of being too impatient to let them cool)...
I went there yesterday...YUM! The best xiao long bao in San Fran!
Now I need to figure out the best Taco al Pastor in San Fran!
Suggestions?
i like Taqueria San Jose on Mission/24th
The fun part is in trying to get it in your mouth without piercing a hole.
And of course it tastes awesome when you get that explosion of flavour mixed with the vinegar. Crystal Jade in Hong Kong makes the best I've had.
Hey Chef John - Hope you are doing well.
I wanted to ask you -Have you made any video or posted any post on dumplings like that?
Can you show how to make them at home without using that "wooden container" for steaming.
I mean, can I use something like a Pressure Cooker and put water in it and put the dumplings on the metal sheet with holes (I don't know what you call it).
I can't go and eat dumplings in that Restaurant'cos it is too far away (May be countries away. And we don't have shops that sell dumplings here.
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And also Thanks for making so great Recipes :D. I'm loving it.
I use either a rice cooker, or a pan with water in out.. and a riser, that allows me to rest a dish on it, but not directly in the water... don't know what the official name is, maybe a "steamer".
Then place the dumplings in lettuce, and on a plate/bowl... The wooden containers allow you to stack them to steam multiple items.. but as long as you don't mind doing batches, this works fine.
I use this method to reheats meats, as it doesn't dry them out as well.
Can you tell me the dumpling fill? I've searched a few sites but couldn't find anything satisfying. Also it shouldn't be pork.
How do we find you on instagram? =D
I'm "foodwishes" on there. You have to have the app.
wow Andrea Nguyen you did great there, I enjoy your video...It seems that dumpling smells up here.
Four and a half years! It has been four and a half years since I saw this post and wanted to visit this place. FINALLY I got there yesterday. Oh my. Fantastic. I eat little wheat but when I go for it I must do it right. This is right cubed. Got the sauteed pea shoots which were a great accompaniment (and at the insistence of the manager.) This is pure San Francisco magic. Thank you for posting this so long ago.
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