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InChina, they’re called “xialongbao.” InAmerica,we call
them soupdumplings. Eitherway, thesedelicaciesare
thin, almost translucentwrappingsof dough that hold
groundpork inpoolsof hot soup.Visit Shanghai, andmul-
tiplemealsof xialongbaoaremandatory.
Pokeyourhead into thekitchenof thesleeklydesignedDinTaiFung (shownabove), arguablyShanghai’sbest
spot forxialongbao (even though it isaspinoffof theoriginal inTaipei), andyousee that thecooking technique is
surprisinglysimple:Refrigeratecraborporkbrothuntil itbecomesgelatinous, thenscoop thegelatinanda little
bitofgroundpork intoadumping.Tie thedumplingat the topandsteam it.They’reserved10 toabamboobasket
andeatenalmostacrobaticallyoffofplasticChinesesoupspoons.
Chinesedumpling lovershavebeensavoringxialongbao for135years.Theso-simple-it’s-probably-true taleof
thesoupdumpling’s inventionhas it thatabakeron theoutskirtsofShanghaidreamedup therecipe, put themon
offer, and foundhimselfwithamajorhit.Whatever thecase,we’reall thebetter for theShanghainese turning this
unassumingsnack into theircity’sversionof theNewYorkpizzasliceoraslabofKansasCitybarbecue.
INSIDER’S TIP:
If you are looking
for amore down-home soup
dumpling experience, check out
Jia Jia Tang Bao. Keep inmind,
though, that the kitchen often
runs out of dumplings by 1 p.m.
DETAILS:
Din Tai Fung, Unit 11A,
House 6, 2F, Ln. 123Xinye Ye
Road, 011-86-21-6385-8378,
; Jia Jia
Tang Bao, 90Huanghe Lu, 011-
86-21-6327-6878
LEFT:©RONHOWARD/CORBIS IMAGES;CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:©PATRICK LIN/GETTY IMAGES (3);© JOWENACHUA/GETTY IMAGES
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celebratedliving.com
FALL 2010
