Nanxiang Xiaolongbao
Thin-skinned steamed buns filled with pork and hot, savoury broth.
How to eat it
Place one on a spoon before breaking the skin, since the broth can spill and burn your mouth. Bite a small opening, let the steam escape, and sip some broth before eating the rest. If black vinegar with shredded ginger is served, touch only the bottom lightly to the vinegar rather than soaking the whole bun.
The story behind the dish
The broth inside forms when chilled meat jelly melts during steaming, turning a solid filling into hot liquid. The dish can be traced back to 1871, when Huang Mingxian developed a thin-skinned, generously filled version at his shop in Nanxiang. Its name means “small-basket bun,” referring to the bamboo steamer used to cook and serve it, while Shanghai speakers may also call it xiaolong mantou.
For reference
Every kitchen does it its own way. What follows is the typical version — ingredients, heat and price shift from city to city and from one restaurant to the next, so take it as a guide rather than a fixed recipe.
If you have an allergy or something you can't eat, check with the staff before you order.