Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Shanghainese Soup Dumplings

One of my coworkers, who is Shanghainese, introduced me to soup dumplings about 6 months ago. Now I am totally addicted to them. Soup dumplings, which originate from Shanghai, are essentially meat dumplings filled with hot, delicious soup inside. The dipping sauce of choice is black Chinese vinegar with shredded raw ginger.

So how does the soup get inside the dumpling? Well, the meat filling is mixed with a soup base and frozen for a couple of hours. That enables the soup base and filling to solidify and congeal together. The frozen mixture is then scrapped with a spoon and (securely) encased in wonton wrappers, and steamed to perfection. Because there is soup/liquid in the dumplings, they are made-to-order and have to be consumed immediately. Otherwise, the wonton wrappers will absorb the soup inside and turn doughy instead of light and soupy.


18 comments:

Annie said...

I want one, I want two, I want all of them. But no one in Arkansas seems to know what these are. At least, no one I know seems to know.

Sally said...

Oh, god - they look WONDERFUL. Could you send me some over for lunch today :-)

Pat said...

They sound deliciously sinful! I'd like a few of them!

And how interesting to read how they are made!

Mandi said...

Those look yummy!

~tanty~ said...

Looks very delicious, makes me hungry. I haven't had my lunch yet :)

Oya said...

I haven't try one of these, but with your words, I almost know how it is tastes...

freelancer said...

Looks very delicious !

GMG said...

Come on, no need to make all of us ravenous and envious! I'm remebering some dumpling meals at Shun Lee (Palace, West or Cafe), before or after a Lincoln Center event... :-)
Thanks for dropping by my blog
Trotter

Unknown said...

They are my favourites! I have lots of pictures of them! hahah...

Next time you come to Singapore, call me, I will bring you to place after place and you tell me which is the best! haha...

Dsole said...

wow, what a weird meal!
It looks terrific!

Olivier said...

Hummmmm cela donne envie.
A ma premiere visite à NYC, j'avais ete surpris du nombre de soupes que l'on proposait dans les restaurants (ou delicatessen).
Belle photo, tres REALISTE ;o)

Hummmmm that gives desire. With my first visit with NYC, I had been surprised number of soups which one proposed in the restaurants (or delicatessen). Beautiful photograph, very REALISTIC; O)

stromsjo said...

>That enables the soup base and
>filling to solidify and congeal
>together

Ah, you make it sound so easy! In my world boiling an egg is a sufficient challenge... ;)

Anonymous said...

I love soup dumplings :O~~~
Think the soup base contains some kind of solidified fats, tt's why the soup or "juice" that oozes out when you bite on these dumplings is so addictive! Love it!
Heard that for those big soup dumplings, they even give you a straw to *swoorp* from those dumplings.

Annie said...

You are funny, Ming, you and your sweet green icing flowing down.

Anonymous said...

I know, I know.

Annie in Little Rock

Jing said...

oh....
the best one of course is in shanghai....
:))
but its not my favourite....

jing

www.DeltaMovies.com said...

Gorgeously yummi photo!

B.

TCho said...

mmmm. making me hungry