Instant Pot Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao) (2024)

Prep Time5 minutes

Cook Time8 minutes

Total Time13 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of water
• 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce (regular or low sodium), divided
• 1 tbsp of chicken flavored Better Than Bouillon (can get in most supermarkets)
• 2 tsp of unflavored Gelatine powder (can find in the Jell-O section)
• 1/2 pound of ground pork
• 3 good-sized Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
• 1 bunch of scallions (with the bottom white half only reserved), finely chopped
• 2 tsp of minced ginger
• 2 tsp of crushed garlic
• 2 tsp of Shaoxing Wine (or Chinese rice wine or even sake which can be found in most international supermarkets)
• 2 tsp of Sesame Oil
• 1/4 cup of Chinese Black Vinegar
• 1 small chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into a few thin match-stick size strands
• 1 pack of dumpling wrappers (make sure you use the round ones instead of the square wonton ones. Can be found in any international market usually in the frozen section)

Instructions

1. Make the soup gelatin! On the stove in a small soup pot mix the 1.5 cups water, 2 tbsp of soy sauce and 1 tbsp of chicken Better Than Bouillon and bring to a boil (which will be quick). As soon as it does, turn off the heat and add the 2 tsp of gelatine powder, mix in and immediately bring to another boil for another minute until the lumps are out. Transfer to either an 11×7 metal tray or you can even set in this cute littlemini-silicone ice cube tray. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to firm up like a Jell-O would! Also, if your dumpling wrappers are frozen, place them in the fridge now as well so they thaw.
2. Make the vinegar sauce! In a small mixing bowl, mix the 1/4 cup of black vinegar and 1/2 tbsp or soy sauce and then add the strands of chopped ginger. Cover and refrigerate
3. Make the meat mixture! In a mixing bowl, add the ground pork, chopped scallions, mushrooms, minced ginger, crushed garlic, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil and mix together by hand so it’s formed in one big ball. Cover and refrigerate
4. Make the dumplings! When two hours have passed, remove the soup gelatin mixture from the fridge and cut into small cubes (make sure the temperature in the room is normal and not too hot as it could make the gelatin melt. And it’s okay if not in perfect cubes – a small spoonful is fine too). Create an assembly line of the dumpling wrappers, a bowl of lukewarm water, the gelatin and the meat mixture. Start by taking a wrapper and about a marble-sized ball of the meat mixture and place in the center of the dumpling wrapper. Add a cube of the soup gelatin on top of the meat and then using the tip of your finger, dip in the water and lightly drag along the edge of the dumpling wrapper so the whole thing is moist. The water serves as the glue and is super key to keep it all together! Fold by watching how Richard does it in the video at the 5:55 mark (this is easiest to SEE than to explain)! Set the completed dumplings aside on a large baking tin lined with parchment or waxed paper so they don’t stick. Be patient! It’s OKAY if you screw the first few up! You’ll get in the groove of it and be a pro dumpling wrapper in no time. You’ll have about 40 of these babies when all’s said and done!
5. Cook the dumplings! Here’s where yourInstant Potcomes in. Add the trivet and 1 cup of water. THEN, using a6 inch Bamboo Steamer(this one fit inside my 6QT perfectly), line each tier with asmall perforated parchment round(totally necessary so the dumpling doesn’t stick to the bamboo!) and place about 4-5 dumplings on each tier allowing for 8-10 dumplings to be cooked at the same time! Secure the lid and cook on “Manual” High Pressure for 3 minutes and then allow a 5 minute natural release before finishing off the rest in a quick release! Serve IMMEDIATELY (soup dumplings are known to have a very quick shelf life once cooked) and watch my video at the 10:27 mark (again – easier to see then to type) to see how to properly eat these bad boys! (And yes! The meat will be totally cooked through!)
6. ENJOY!

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