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Honolulu Magazine | Honolulu Family
This post was originally published on Sept. 26, 2018 for National Dumpling Day. It was updated on March 15, 2021.
Xiao long bao at Fook Lam in Chinatown. Photo: Katie Kenny
I have a long history with xiao long bao. I grew up in Hong Kong, where the glorious, slightly translucent parcels of steaming hot soupy goodness are popular—and where it’s an unwritten rule to have an unhealthy obsession with going for yum cha (the Cantonese tradition of enjoying dim sum and tea for brunch) and overordering, due to each diner having a favorite dim sum dish. During the cooler months, going to restaurants that specialize in xiao long bao is a priority.
If the idea of eating a delicate pouch of boiling hot soup might be a little frightening, I completely understand. So let me share a little knowledge from my neck of the woods across the Pacific: three methods for eating the much-loved steamed Shanghainese soup dumplings.
Gif: Katie Kenny
SEE ALSO: Upscale Dim Sum Is Now on Kapi‘olani and It’s Excellent
The name xiao long bao means “little basket bun” due to the round bamboo basket the parcels are steamed in. Originally created in Shanghai, the dumpling is crafted by placing a ground pork-covered cube of gelatinous soup stock inside rolled-out dough, which is then tightly pinched closed at the top. Once steamed, the gelatin cube becomes the hot clear soup that makes this particular dumpling very special.
SEE ALSO: Dumplings All Day Wong, a Cookbook by Lee Anne Wong
Tip: Be extra careful when scooping your dumpling out of the bamboo steamer. Lightly pinch low on the sides with your chopsticks and, if necessary, ask your dim sum buddy to hold the paper lining the bottom of the basket. Avoid fast movements or else you will tear the dumpling, releasing the point of why we’re all here: the soup.
Gif: giphy.com
Gif: giphy.com
Xiao long bao at the former Yum Cha Hawai‘i. Photo: James Charisma
Tip: Want more flavor? Add a thin slice of ginger to your spoon before placing the dumpling on top.
Photo: Katie Kenny
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