Xiaolongbao

Xiaolongbao (小籠包 /ˈʃaʊlɒŋˌbaʊ/, 'little basket bun') is a type of Chinese tangbao (Chinese: 汤包), traditionally prepared in a xiaolong, a small bamboo steaming basket. The xiaolongbao originates from the city of Changzhou in Jiangsu province, and is an iconic dish of Jiangnan cuisine.

Xiaolongbao

Xiaolongbao in a bamboo zhenglong steamer
Alternative names	xiao long bao, xiaolong mantou, XLB
Type	Baozi
Course	Breakfast, xiaochi
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Changzhou, Jiangsu
Main ingredients	Flour dough, minced pork or other meats, lard, gelatin
Media: Xiaolongbao

Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	小笼包
Traditional Chinese	小籠包
Literal meaning	little-basket bun
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin xiǎolóngbāo Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄅㄠ Gwoyeu Romatzyh sheaulongbau Wade–Giles hsiao3-lung2-pao1 Tongyong Pinyin siǎo-lóng-bao IPA [ɕiàʊ.lʊ̌ŋ.paʊ] Wu Shanghainese Romanization shiau-lon-pau Yue: Cantonese Jyutping siu2 lung4 baau1 IPA [siw˧˥ lʊŋ˩ paw˥] Southern Min Hokkien POJ siò-làng-pau
Wu Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	小笼馒头
Traditional Chinese	小籠饅頭
Literal meaning	little-basket mantou
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin xiǎolóng mántou Bopomofo ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄇㄢˊ ㄊㄡ˙ Gwoyeu Romatzyh sheaulong mantou Wade–Giles hsiao3-lung2 man2-t‘ou Tongyong Pinyin siǎo-lóng mán-tȯu IPA [ɕjàʊ.lʊ̌ŋ mǎn.tʰoʊ] Wu Shanghainese Romanization shiau-lon moe-deu [ɕiɔ³³ loŋ⁴⁴ mø²² dɤ⁺⁴⁴] Yue: Cantonese Jyutping siu2 lung4 maan4 tau4 siu2 lung4 maan6 tau4 IPA [siw˧˥ lʊŋ˩ man˩ tʰɐw˩] [siw˧˥ lʊŋ˩ man˨ tʰɐw˩]
Korean name
Hangul	샤오룽바오
Hanja	小籠包
Transcriptions Revised Romanization syaolungbao
Japanese name
Kanji	小籠包
Hiragana	しょうろんぽう
Katakana	ショウロンポウ
Transcriptions Revised Hepburn shōronpō Kunrei-shiki syouronpou

Different cities across the Jiangnan region have varying styles of xiaolongbao. Outside of China, the Nanxiang xiaolongbao associated with Shanghai is the most well known. In the Shanghainese language, they are known as siaulon moedeu or xiaolong mantou, as Wu Chinese-speaking peoples use the traditional definition of mantou, which refers to both filled and unfilled buns. The Suzhou and Wuxi styles are larger (sometimes twice as large as a Nanxiang xiaolongbao) and have sweeter fillings. The Nanjing style is smaller with an almost translucent skin and less meat.

In English, the xiaolongbao are often referred to as "soup dumplings", but "soup dumpling" in Chinese may translate to the broader culinary category known as tangbao, which includes the xiaolongbao and other related dishes.

Xiaolongbao are popular all over the world and many restaurants are known for their unique interpretations of this classic dish, such as Din Tai Fung, Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, and Joe's Shanghai.

Origins

Xiaolongbao originated in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, where is created by Wan Hua Tea House during the years of Daoguang Emperor (1820 to 1850). It evolved from the guantangbao (soup-filled dumplings/buns) of Kaifeng, in Henan province, which was the capital city of Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960–1127). There are numerous styles of xiaolongbao in Jiangsu cuisine. Shanghai-style xiaolongbao originated in Nanxiang, which was a neighboring village of Shanghai in Jiangsu that eventually ended up becoming an outer suburb of Shanghai's Jiading District. The inventor of xiaolongbao sold them in his first store in Nanxiang next to the town's notable park, Guyi Garden. From there the xiaolongbao expanded into downtown Shanghai and outward.

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  Xiaolongbao in Taiwan
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  The queue outside Nanxiang Bun Shop in Shanghai
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  Making xiaolongbao at Nanxiang Mantou Dian store in Roppongi Hills, Japan

Ingredients

Xiaolongbao are typically made of minced pork wrapped in flour dough

Chinese buns, in general, may be divided into two types, depending on the degree of leavening of the flour skin. Buns can be made with leavened or unleavened dough. Those made with unleavened dough use clear water for mixing; the skin is thin and the fillings large. It is frequently made in Nanxiang but is imitated elsewhere, called “Xiang-style”. Steamed buns made with raised flour are seen throughout China and are what is usually referred to as mantou. Steamed xiaolongbao made with partially raised flour are more commonly seen in the south. This means that their skin is tender, smoother, and somewhat translucent, rather than being white and fluffy. As is traditional for buns of various sizes in the Jiangnan region, xiaolongbao is pinched at the top prior to steaming, so the skin has a circular cascade of ripples around the crown.

Xiaolongbao are traditionally filled with pork. More modern innovations include other meats, seafood, shrimp, crab meat, and vegetarian fillings.

Soup dumplings are created by wrapping solid meat aspic inside the skin alongside the meat filling. Heat from steaming then melts the gelatin-gelled aspic into soup. In modern times, refrigeration has made the process of making tangbao during hot weather easier, since making gelled aspic is much more difficult at room temperature.

Serving

Xiaolongbao are traditionally eaten for breakfast. The buns are served hot in the bamboo baskets in which they were steamed, usually on a bed of dried leaves or a paper mat, although some restaurants now use napa cabbage instead. The buns are usually dipped in Zhenjiang vinegar with chili crisp.

Traditionally, tangbao soup dumplings are a kind of dim sum (à la carte item) or xiaochi (snack). The buns are usually dipped in Zhenjiang vinegar with ginger slivers. They are traditionally served with a clear soup on the side. Around Shanghai, "tangbao" may be eaten throughout the day, although usually not for breakfast. They form part of a traditional Jiangnan-style morning tea (早茶). In Guangdong and the West, it is sometimes served as a dish during Cantonese tea time. Frozen tangbao are now mass-produced and a popular frozen food sold worldwide.

Xiaolongbao can be challenging to eat without spilling the soup. A traditional way of eating the bun is for the diner to hold the bun with a small spoon and gently bite a small hole to soak up the soup before slowly eating the remainder. Another popular way to eat the bun is to place it in a spoon, add a few drops of black vinegar and ginger and then eat it in one bite.

Xiaolongbao are usually served in bamboo steamers, which keep the heat in and retain the light earthy aroma they give off. Each steamer usually has four to eight buns, arranged neatly to prevent them from sticking together. Usually, the waiter will bring the bamboo basket directly to the table and lift the lid to reveal the Xiaolongbao.

Xiaolongbao is usually shared among diners as an appetizer or part of a larger meal. In some upscale restaurants, Xiaolongbao is served with a spoon, reflecting and emphasizing its status as an upscale, bite-sized delicacy.

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  Served as breakfast
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  In vinegar sauce
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  With wontons
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  In a bamboo steamer

Types

Xiaolongbao in chili oil from Guangdong

Changzhou

The modern form of xiaolongbao originated during Qing dynasty. A place named Yinggui Teahouse is where people in Changzhou go to have xiaolongbao. The buns from Changzhou are known for its thin wraps, and the soup that spills out after each bite. Among the types, crab-filled xiaolongbao is the most well known type in Changzhou, and are eaten after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Shanghai

Shengzhou style xiaolongbao with tea eggs

Nanxiang Xiaolongbao from Shanghai have around a hundred years of history. They are known for their unique technique of making the wrappers as well as secret ingredients of the fillings. In Shanghai, Xiaolongbao are usually filled with pork; crabmeat and shrimp are also present but in the minority.

Tianjin

Xiaolongbao from Hong Kong

Goubuli Xiaolongbao is the most famous type in northern China. The restaurant Goubuli was founded in 1858 by a young man named Gouzi, who named his xiaolongbao after himself as Goubuli later. Goubuli Xiaolongbao has strictly 18 wrinkles on each bun due to its creator's unique method of making it, and the buns will have thicker skins. They were served to one of the famous queen's mother in Chinese history as a famous dish from Tianjin.

Kaifeng

Kaifeng Xiaolongbao, created during the Song Dynasty, is also known as soup filled xiaolongbao. Many famous cooks created their own ways of making soup filled dumplings in Kaifeng and improved the techniques throughout history. Kaifeng Xiaolongbao looks like a "lantern" when they are lifted, and a "flower" when it sits in the steaming basket.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Xiaolongbao look like Changzhou Xiaolongbao but have a slightly spicy taste, due to the addition of ginger and sometimes spring onion in the filling. The wrapper is chewier and harder than the normals ones. Despite the difference, it is labelled as Shanghai Xiaolongbao. This form of Xiaolongbao is served only in Cantonese Teahouses.

Impact

Xiaolongbao is an icon of Chinese culinary tradition, symbolizing the skill and care of Chinese chefs, and is a dish that helps foster a sense of shared cultural pride. Traditionally, Xiaolongbao is often used for communal dining, enjoyed with friends and family as a shared experience that strengthens social bonds. The dish has also inspired chefs around the world to experiment with the fillings and even reinvent its form, and it has become a milestone in innovative fusion cuisine for many international occasions.

In addition to this, Xiaolongbao have become increasingly popular in cities around the world, raising awareness of Chinese regional cuisine and also attracting tourists. Xiaolongbao has spread the dim sum culture around the world. From New York to Paris, restaurants in major cities have adapted Xiaolongbao to suit local tastes, while still retaining the authentic flavor of Xiaolongbao. Through these cultural and culinary influences, Xiaolongbao has become more than just a dish; it is a bridge to Chinese heritage, allowing people around the world to experience the artisanal spirit and community cohesion that characterizes Chinese restaurant culture.

See also

• Baozi
• Din Tai Fung
• Dumpling
• Jiaozi
• Khinkali
• List of steamed foods
• List of buns
• Momo (food)
• Shanghainese cuisine
• Shengjian mantou
• Siopao
• Salteña, another dumpling with a gelatin-based liquid filling