Xiaolongbao (Shanghai Soup Dumplings)

Method

1. Pour the cold stock into a small pan, sprinkle the gelatine evenly over it and leave for 5 minutes to soften. Warm on low heat for 3 min, stirring, until the gelatine has completely dissolved; don't let it boil. Pour into a wide, shallow container, cool, then chill for at least 2 hours until firm. This jelly melts into the soup as the dumplings steam.

   Add in this stepChicken stock (unsalted or low-salt) 150 mlPowdered gelatine 7 g

   low heat

2. Put the flour and salt in a bowl and stir in the lukewarm water a little at a time with chopsticks until shaggy, then knead by hand for 8 min into a smooth, soft dough that feels like an earlobe. Cover and rest for 30 minutes; resting relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls thin without tearing.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 100 gLukewarm water 52 mlSalt (for the dough) 1 pinch

3. Crush part of the ginger and the spring onions with the flat of a knife, soak them in the water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out and discard the solids to make ginger-onion water. Put the pork, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, salt and white pepper in a bowl and stir in one direction only, adding the ginger-onion water in three additions. Keep stirring for about 4 min, until the meat is sticky and has absorbed all the liquid.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 9 gSpring onions 1Water (for the ginger-onion water) 40 mlMinced pork (about 30% fat) 200 gLight soy sauce 2 tspShaoxing wine (or dry sherry) 2 tspSugar 1 tspSalt (for the filling) 2 pinchWhite pepper 1 pinch

4. Cut the set jelly into 5 mm dice and fold it gently into the pork with the sesame oil. Chill for 15 minutes: firm filling is much easier to wrap.

   Add in this stepToasted sesame oil 1 tsp

5. Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 16 pc equal pieces (about 9 g each). Flatten each piece with your palm and roll it into an 8 cm round with thin edges and a slightly thicker centre. Put a spoonful of filling (about 20 g) in the middle, hold it down with your thumb and, with the other hand, pinch and fold the edge into 16–18 small pleats as you turn the dumpling, twisting the top shut. Set them 3 cm apart in a steamer lined with baking paper or cabbage leaves.

6. Bring plenty of water to a rolling boil under the steamer, then set the 24 cm × 2 steamer (diameter × tiers) on top and steam on high heat for 8 min. They are done when the wrappers turn translucent and the dumplings sag slightly and jiggle. Oversteaming splits the wrappers and lets the soup escape, so stick to the time.

   high heat

7. Cut the rest of the ginger into very fine shreds and add to the black vinegar for dipping. Lift each dumpling by its top knot onto a spoon, nibble a small hole in the side, sip the soup first, then eat it with a little ginger vinegar.

   Add in this stepFresh ginger 6 gChinese black vinegar (Chinkiang) 3 tbsp