What Are Soup Dumplings Traditionally Filled With?

Many Chinese food restaurants in the U.S. have menus that seem to go on forever, listing delicacies that can be difficult to pronounce for those unfamiliar with Mandarin or Cantonese. Some of those menu items are dumpling dishes, and although they all have the common denominator of being doughy pockets containing various fillings, they all have  unique characteristics. Soup dumplings are one of these appetizing variations, but despite the somewhat deceiving moniker, they aren't exactly filled with soup.

Soup dumplings on a Chinese food menu are often called xiao long bao. The "bao" in the name signifies that they are round as opposed to crescent-shaped, and they tend to be thicker compared to some other interpretations. Occasionally, crab meat is inside, but more often, soup dumplings are stuffed with pork and aspic – that last is a gelatin made with collagen-rich pork trimmings. The aspic is combined with chicken stock and cooled before being cut into small pieces that fit neatly within the doughy wheat wrapper.

When the dumplings are steamed, the aspic melts and becomes a luscious broth inside the casing. True to their name, soup dumplings do contain a little bit of savory soup in each bite once cooked. Yet this isn't a cuisine you would typically relish solely with a spoon.

Because the round and crescent shapes of this food can resemble phases of the moon, dumplings are an essential element of Lunar New Year celebrations. However, if you are lucky enough to attend these festivities, you will want to brush up on your restaurant etiquette so you don't unknowingly offend your hosts. Like other forms of Chinese fare, soup dumplings are meant to be eaten in a specific way and failing to observe these methods could make you appear oafish.

When you are served soup dumplings, a spoon is usually set atop the dish. The spoon will act as a sort of mini bowl, meant to catch any broth that escapes as you hold them with your chopsticks. You can bite into the dumpling while holding it over the spoon or poke a hole in the side to allow it to cool. Sip the broth from the spoon before dipping the dumpling into a sauce with your chopsticks.

Some folks aren't well-versed in using chopsticks, but as long as you avoid specific faux pas, you generally won't offend anyone around you. Refrain from drumming them on the table and sticking them up in rice because that's a chopstick move that represents death. Simply fumbling with them as you enjoy your soup dumplings is nothing to worry about, and it's always nice to practice something you might be unfamiliar with as you savor exquisite cuisine.