Recipe

Authentic Chinese Soup Dumplings That Are Worth the Extra Effort

By Spoon University at Spoon HQ

No, this isn't a some new crazy concoction. Soup dumplings are actually an authentic Chinese dish. Curious how you get the soup inside? I'll tell you the secret. A rich broth is created from boiling the bones and various parts of your meat.

The natural gelatin in it solidifies the broth after chilling. After steaming your dumplings with this jellied broth inside, it'll melt into a rich, thick, and delicious soup. Now let's see if you've got what it takes to make some out-of-this-world soup dumplings. 

Soup

  • Prep Time: 3 hrs
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins
  • Total Time: 4 hrs 15 mins
  • Servings: 48
Ingredients
  • 1 pound pork skin blanched
  • 1 pound pork bones
  • 1 pig's foot
  • 3 scallions cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 3-inch piece ginger peeled thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
  • Kosher salt

Step 1

Combine pork skin, pig foot, pork bones, scallions, ginger, Shaoxing rice wine, and cold water in a pot.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 2

Once you've brought it to a boil, let it simmer for 60-75 minutes.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 3

Continue to skim the foam off the surface until the liquid is almost opaque.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 4

Strain liquid into a 13x9'' baking sheet and season the liquid with salt. Solids can be discarded.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 5

Chill for at least 3 hours.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Filling

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 10 mins
  • Servings: 48
Ingredients
  • 1¼ pounds ground pork shoulder 20% fat
  • 3 scallions finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1¾ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1¼ teaspoons Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1¼ teaspoons sugar
  • 1¼ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine ground pork, salt, sugar, white pepper, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, and toasted sesame oil.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 2

Once the soup has jellied, cut a crosshatch pattern (1/8'' squares). Then mix the soup with the meat filling. Make sure to cover and chill until ready to use.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Dough

  • Prep Time: 1 hr 25 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
  • Servings: 48
Ingredients
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
  • 1 cup very hot tap water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Step 1

Combine flour and hot tap water, mixing until dough has a shaggy consistency.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 2

Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 min.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 3

Mix in vegetable oil.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 4

Knead dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes, adding additional flour as needed.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 5

Dough should be soft, smooth, supple, and a bit tacky. Once finished kneading, wrap in plastic and let it rest for an hour.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Assembly

  • Prep Time: 2 hrs
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Servings: 48
Ingredients

Step 1

Divide dough into quarters. I cut the recipe in half, so I divided the dough into halves.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 2

Roll out one of the pieces into about a 12'' long rope, while the others are kept covered under a plastic wrap. Use a bench scraper to cut each rope into 1'' pieces and make an indent with your thumb. Repeat steps for other pieces.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 3

While the other 1'' pieces are covered under a plastic sheet, use the dowel to roll out each piece. You should be working from the center moving outward, applying slightly more pressure as you reach the edges. Repeat this step with the other 1'' pieces and make sure to cover the pieces you are not working with.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 4

Take one of the dumpling wrappers and spoon in 1 Tbsp of filling, making sure to put some of the jellied soup pieces in as well. Then, fold the wrapper into 10-12 pleats (18 pleats ideally). Pinch edges and twist to seal. Repeat with other wrappers.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 5

Place your bamboo steamers on some boiling water. Line the inside of the steamer with a couple of cabbage leaves and use a light coating of cooking spray on the leaves. Then place your dumplings into the steamer.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Step 6

Steam for 8 minutes.

GIF by Sheng Lin

Dipping Sauce

  • Prep Time: 30 secs
  • Total Time: 30 secs
  • Servings: 1
Ingredients
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1 2-inch piece ginger peeled julienned
  • 1 cup black vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Step 1

Combine scallions, ginger, black vinegar, and soy sauce in a dipping sauce bowl.

GIF by Sheng Lin

The Final Product