Perfect snack: dumpling meets bao
Sometimes you come across a dish that, when you take a bite, suddenly makes it seem as though all the puzzle pieces in your life fall into place. For me, that was the case with shen jian bao: the perfect cross between a dumpling and a steamed bun.
By now, you can hardly walk into a restaurant without discovering a bao or steamed bun on the menu, and dumplings continue to grow in popularity too. You won’t hear me complaining—quite the opposite, in fact. I travelled through Asia for a year so I could eat dumplings every day (okay, and rice), and whose heart doesn’t beat faster at the thought of a soft steamed bun with pork belly?
Next-level soup dumpling
You may have heard of the ever-popular xiao long bao, or soup dumpling. This soft dumpling filled with pork and soup originated in Shanghai, but was put on the map by the Taiwanese chain Din Tai Fung before taking over the world. Or at least a large part of Asia. The shen jian bao is the xiao long bao’s little brother, also comes from Shanghai, and is also filled with pork and soup. The difference? The dough is considerably thicker, and the dumplings are fried until crispy in a large pan. Honestly, you won’t believe how good they are.
Michelin star
It varies slightly depending on where you eat them, but the dough often resembles bao dough. It is thicker, more bread-like and airier than standard dumpling dough. Because of the soup inside the filling, the meat seems extra juicy, while the crispy bottom makes this the perfect bite. I first ate them in Hong Kong at Cheung Hing Kee, a small eatery that even received a Michelin star for these delicious bites. For €3, you can order a bowl with a few dumplings and dipping sauce. An absolute bargain for so much enjoyment—just be careful not to burn your mouth.
Unfortunately, I haven’t come across these dream dumplings anywhere in the Netherlands yet. (If you know where to find good ones, please tell me!) So sadly, there’s nothing for it but to make them at home yourself. I always use this recipe, and I definitely make the dipping sauce they recommend to go with it. I’m not going to lie: this is not a recipe you can whip up in no time. It’s absolutely not difficult, but folding dumplings is simply a tedious job. Set aside a leisurely afternoon for it, or make them together with someone else—and honestly, the result is more than worth the effort.
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