Xiao Long Bao小笼包

Yields about 60 Xiao Long Bao,

Wrappers

• 250g plain flour 中筋面粉
• 125g, water in room temperature
• 1/3 teaspoon, salt

Fillings

• 300g           ground pork
• 100g           minced shrimp (optional) or same amount of ground pork
• 3 tablespoon    water in room temperature
• 1 tablespoon    cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon    ginger, minced 姜末
• 30g or 2-3 tablespoons           spring onions, minced 香葱末
• 1/2 teaspoon      salt
• 1 tablespoon    light soy sauce 生抽
• 1 teaspoon    caster sugar白糖
• 1 teaspoon     Chinese cooking wine料酒
• 1 teaspoon      corn flour生粉
• 1 teaspoon     sesame oil 香油
• 1/3 teaspoon    white pepper 白胡椒粉
• 200g           pork jelly cubes  肉皮冻 (recipe)

Dipping Sauce

• Chinkiang vinegar镇江香醋
• 1 tablespoon    light soy sauce
• 10 sliced ginger
•  Szechuan Chili Oil (optional).

Method

1. Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and gradually add in the water; mix it with a fork or chopsticks.
2. Use your fingers to bring the mixture together and make a dough. Knead the dough for about 6 minutes till it is smooth. Cover the bowl in a plastic bag. Rest for 20 minutes.
3. Place the minced pork in a bowl. Gradually add water and stir in the same direction for 100 times. Add the cooking oil and stir in the same direction. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and stir all in one direction till all ingredients are well mixed.
4. To make the wrap, cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll one piece into a long snake of about 1.5cm diameter and cut in 1cm, cover the dough pieces (each pieces weighs 5-6 grams); roll one till a ball and press it down as a dish and roll it out in a circle about a diameter of 6-7cm, about 1mm thin – edges are thinner than the center as this has to hold the filling.
5. Place a half tablespoon of filling in the center of the wrap and add 1 pork jelly cube. Fold the edges to the center while twisting so the bao is completed sealed. You should aim to achieve 18-20 folds/pleats for one single bao.
6. Bring the water of the steamer to a boil, place parchment paper into the steam basket, place the Xiao Long Bao in the steam basket, cover it with a lid and steam on high heat for 6-8 minutes.
7. Serve the Xiao Long Bao with dipping sauce.