Soup Dumplings - Xiao Long Bao in Bamboo Steamer

For most Americans, Chinese food is about Fried Rice, Chow Mein and the occasional Kung Pao Chicken. But China's a big country, and just like in the States, each region has its own specialties.

For example, the food in Northern China is very different from Southern China. You'll find a lot of stir-fries and rice dishes in the South, which is much more common in American Chinese restaurants.

Up North, though, the winters are longer and colder, hence their food is richer and tends to be a little heavier (braised meats and doughy noodles and dumplings). It's good comfort food.

The food from Shanghai is no exception. Here are some tried and true favorites you’ll find at a typical Shanghainese restaurant. If they do these dishes well, you'll be golden.

Braised Lions Meatballs

Lion's Head Meatballs are named aptly for the way this dish was supposed to look. The dish usually has three ginormous pork meatballs, and is served on a bed of greens, which resembles the lion's mane.

You can usually find this dish as a soup or braised. I prefer it braised, personally. The sauce is much richer and deeper in flavor. They start with ground pork and add in some finely chopped shiitake mushrooms and sometimes water chestnuts for texture. But a truly good version of this dish will also have the addition of anise, cinnamon and cloves, usually from a five-spice powder blend. The meatballs are then fried and braised. The flavors are very different, yet the ingredients are totally familiar. It's such a fabulous dish that has a lot of warmth from the spices and goes great with some steamed white rice.

Pork Chop Rice with Greens

Pork Chop Rice With Greens is a very traditional homestyle meal. What makes this dish different is that chopped bits of baby bok choy and smoky ham are all cooked together with white rice to get a wonderful melding of all three flavors and a stickier rice. Add to that some golden fried pieces of pork chop and you've got a one-pot meal, Chinese style.

Soybean and Tofu Skin with Preserved Veggies

This is a wonderfully unusual take on veggies. Here, soybeans (edamame) are stir-fried with preserved mustard greens that add a nice tang and crunch. For protein and even more texture, tofu skin strips are thrown into the mix. It's a dish that's both mild and flavorful at the same time. It's great mixed into a bowl of soup noodles, too.

Soup Dumpling - Xio Long Bao

Soup Dumplings (or Xiao Long Bao) are probably the most recognizable Shanghainese food item to those even remotely familiar with the cuisine. They're called soup dumplings for the pocket of meat juices that end up on the inside of that delicately thin dough. If the doughy exterior is too thick, that's a restaurant you don't want to go back to. Getting the perfect mix of thin dough and flavorful meaty interior is an extremely difficult task. And you want to eat these babies when they're fresh out of the steamer, otherwise they get gummy.

For novices, just place one dumpling very carefully (so you don't rip the dough) onto your Chinese spoon. Take a small bite out of the skin and let the soup spill into your spoon. Yummy soup is another good sign of a great dumpling. After you slurp that up, dip the dumpling into the accompanying black vinegar and ginger sauce.

Enjoy...and if it's good, you definitely will.

So if you love Chinese food, you might want to think outside the takeout box and look for more regionalized Chinese fare. You'll never look at Kung Pao Chicken the same way again.

Shanghainese Restaurants I'd Recommend:

Shanghai Dumpling Shop (Michelin recommended in 2010)
455 Broadway, Millbrae
(650) 697-0682
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am - 3pm, Mon-Fri 5pm - 9pm, Sat-Sun 10am - 3pm, Sat-Sun 4:30pm - 9pm
Must try: Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), Braised Lion's Head Meatballs, Stir Fried Rice Cake

Happy Cafe
250 South B St., San Mateo
(650) 340-7138
Hours: Mon, Wed-Fri 11am - 2:30pm, Wed-Fri 5:30pm - 9:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am - 3pm
Must try: Pork Chop Rice, Spicy Dry Cold Noodles w/Cucumbers & Pork, Boiled Chicken w/House Dressing

Shanghai Dumpling King
3319 Balboa St., San Francisco
(415) 387-2088
Hours: Mon, Wed-Fri 11am - 9pm, Sat-Sun 10am - 9pm
Must try: Soup Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao), Lion's Head Meatballs Soup, Soup Noodles w/Pork and Preserved Vegetables

Taking a break after the steamed bun lunch rush

As you may have read last week, I recently returned from China where I spent five days in Shanghai and a hot minute in Hong Kong (two days). While there, we visited the World Expo, did a lot of sightseeing, a bit of shopping, and lots of eating. In particular, lots of dumplings. Last week, I wrote a post about eating out in Shanghai and Hong Kong, but I omitted a major discussion of our dumpling forays because they really deserve their own post. So here we are.

Now the first thing to know about Shanghai is that they're famous for their xiao long bao, or soup dumplings. These dumplings are traditionally steamed in small bamboo baskets, ("xiaolong" translates literally to "small steaming basket"), and are comprised of a super thin almost translucent skin, rich broth, and savory fillings.

From the fanciest of restaurants, the most common of market stalls, and even on the go in little cups, Chinese dumplings are where it's at.

Buns vs. Dumplings
When we first arrived in Shanghai, we realized that in the States, we'd just been lumping virtually everything that looked like a dumpling into that category and calling it a day. In reality, there's a distinct difference between buns and dumplings. Steamed buns that are made with raised flour are referred to as baozi and are typically white, fluffy and "breadier" as my sisters would say. Steamed buns that are made with unraised flour such as the xiao long bao have a smoother almost translucent skin and are more commonly seen in the South. Then to confuse things even more, you have the jiaozi: what most Americans consider a pot sticker but the Chinese consider a true dumpling. Jiaozi consist of a savory filling as well but are wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough and crimped and sealed along the edges. So by trial and error and a few ordering missteps, we learned the differences quickly and began trying everything from dessert buns, jiaozi, and many kinds of xioa long bao.

Where to Get Your Hands on One (or Ten)
This list is my no means exhaustive nor do I think it's at all a "Best Of" list. I just didn’t try enough dumplings to write with that kind of authority (all the more reason to return). But it is a brief tour of what I found to be the best of what I tried. So without further ado, here are the highlights of a few days in China, dumpling style.

The Four Seasons
It's a little ritzy and probably not the most authentic bun you'll ever have, but we found The Four Seasons made extremely reliable steamed buns filled with a variety of filings including a flavorful pork and onion and a spinach and mushroom. The exterior of the buns was light and fluffy--dangerously so as we found ourselves downing more than our fair share and needing a nap before our next sightseeing stop. For us, the location was convenient (and they also do a mean congee that I'll try and replicate at home), and unlike many more causal spots, they offer a wide variety of pickled vegetables, eggs, and vinegars to accompany the buns. So while this isn't a spot where locals congregate and while they're much pricier than street-side buns, it's worth a stop if you're in the mood to treat yourself to a nice, air-conditioned dim sum lunch.

The Four Seasons: 500 Weihai Road, Shanghai China 200041; 86 (21) 6256-8888

Din Tai Fung
The mention of Din Tai Fung elicits a response from tourists and locals alike. It's either an extremely positive one or a heartfelt negative one--rarely did I find an in between. That's because their xiao long bao are the best I've ever had. So what's the problem? A few things: they're located in a rather sterile shopping mall, they're a chain with locations all around Asia and even Southern California, and they actually originated in Taiwan. So for folks coming to China and wanting to try authentic xiao long bao, some look down upon Din Tai Fung because it didn't even start in Shanghai. I have to say, I think this is one of those small facts you should overlook when doing a dumpling tour of the city. You must try these. They are damn fine soup dumplings--extremely addictive with utterly translucent skin, rich broth, and an impressive variety of fillings to choose from. They drape perfectly onto your soup spoon and the attentive wait staff will even show newcomers the best way to eat them (I just pop the whole thing right in my mouth but apparently some people like to suck the soup part out first). If I lived in Shanghai, I'd be a regular. For sure.

Din Tai Fung: South Block Xintiandi|Unit 11, House 6, Ln. 123 Xingye Lu (Huangpi Lu) Shanghai, China

Heichinrou
We were in Hong Kong less than two days, so we spent most of the time racing to get in some major sightseeing. But I did insist on dumplings, so our family friend who lives right outside of Hong Kong took us to get dim sum at his favorite spot. He chose Heichinrou which is located in a large shopping center right along Causeway Bay. Their menu rotates seasonally and features numerous mostly Cantonese dishes. The place was filled with locals, the staff were jamming out baskets and baskets of steamed buns and jiaozi, bowls of steaming noodles, plates of sliced barbecued pork, and beautiful Chinese vegetables. We tried shrimp jiaozi and mixed mushroom jiaozi along with steamed pork buns (much like pulled pork in a delightfully fluffy dumpling--kind of the perfect food if you ask me). Looking around, many tables were getting stacks of the bamboo baskets, relying strictly on dumplings for their lunchtime meal. And I can see why. They were heavenly.

Heichinrou: Shop 1003, 10th Floor, Times Square; 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong; 852 - 2506 2333

A Few Other Spots:
There are only so many dumplings a girl can eat, and there were many more I wanted to try. My one regret was not having enough time to eat more street food while in China. Let's just say I wasn't traveling with the most adventurous group and we were pretty darn short on time, so I'm already compiling a list for my next trip. Here are a few casual spots I'd heard about that came highly recommended and that have made my list for the next go-around. If you find yourself in Shanghai anytime soon, I know they're worth a try. Who knows? I may be right there with you in line:

• Jia Jia Tang Bao
  They are supposedly cheaper than Din Tai Fung although the lines can often be so great that they run out before 1 p.m. A locals favorite--I wish I could've carved out the time to sneak over.
  90 Huanghe Lu, near Fengyang Lu in Shanghai; 021-63276878
• Shanghai Ren Jia
  Locals also love this spot, and they have the unique and not nearly as common, Tang Bao, a larger soup dumplings with a thicker skin. Many people think of the skin as more of a vehicle to hold the soup rather than an integral part of the dumpling itself. Most spots serving tang bao give diners a straw with which to suck the soup through.
  1600 Nanjing Lu near Changde Lu (Jing'an Temple Area)
• Yang’s Fried Dumplings:
  Yang's doesn't have xiao long bao or the more novel tang bao, but everyone seems to know about Yang's. Sixteen years in business, long lines, and dumplings right out of the pan topped with sesame seeds and scallions has earned them bragging rights.
  54 Wujiang Lu and 60 Wujiang Lu

The 15 day celebration of Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year, as many Asian cultures refer to it) comes to a close this weekend, and with it, so does my dumpling stash. Resembling little purses stuffed with riches, it is tradition to eat plenty of dumplings during this time because they symbolize prosperity. The more you eat, the more wealth and good fortune will come your way in the New Year. (Maybe I should save a batch to eat right before I do my taxes this year).

Dumplings are a bit of a time commitment to make, but if you can manage to enlist the help of a few friends, it'll go by in a flash, and you'll all be rewarded with more homemade dumplings than you can eat in one sitting.

My mom tells me that when she was young, she would stay up all night with her sisters, mom, and grandmother, sitting around the kitchen table making dumplings, preparing for the New Year's Eve feast. Instead of the savory jiao zi that are more common in Northern China, they would make sweet dumplings called jeen duy.

You may have seen them out at dim sum. They're made with a chewy, glutinous rice flour dough, filled with a lotus seed or red bean paste, rolled in white sesame seeds, and fried to a golden crisp. The best are the ones that have a very light, thin layer of dough that gives way with an airy crunch when you bite into it, revealing a generous amount of sweet filling.

My mom and her sisters would create an assembly line, and together, they would make hundreds of perfectly round, little, jeen duy to carry them and every auntie, third cousin, and neighbor through the New Year celebrations with something sweet to nibble on.

Without any sisters or a recipe for fresh glutinous rice dough up my sleeve, I decided to take a few liberties with my family traditions and instead, opted to fill my own assembly line with hungry friends, some store-bought wonton wrappers, and a Hua family recipe for jiao zi filling.

Time flew by and before we knew it, our bellies were full of dumpling goodness, our year was looking auspicious, and the freezer was stocked with handmade dumplings, ready to boil for any given easy weeknight dinner.

Pork and Shrimp Dumplings (Jiao Zi)

Makes: approximately 80 dumplings

Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork
½ pound shrimp, peeled, cleaned, tails removed
8 dried Chinese mushrooms (1/2 cup after finely chopped)
1 onion (1/2 cup after diced and browned)
½ Napa cabbage (1 cup after finely shredded)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons mushroom-flavored soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 packages round wonton wrappers (1 pound each)

Preparation:
1. Soak the dried mushrooms in hot water for about 15 minutes until softened. Squeeze the excess water out, remove stems, and chop into a fine dice.
2. Dice the onion and brown in a frying pan.
3. Finely shred the cabbage until you have 1 cup.
4. Place the shrimp in a food processor and pulse until it is a chunky mixture. Be careful not to over-process, you don't want to create a paste.
5. Combine the pork, shrimp, mushrooms, onion, cabbage, 1 beaten egg (reserve the other one to make an egg wash), and all the remaining seasonings.
6. Knead the mixture with your hands until just combined. Cover and chill for 10 minutes.
7. While mixture chills, line a few large baking sheets with paper towels and dust lightly with flour.
8. Take one of the wonton wrappers and place a small mound of filling in the center (don't over-fill or it will be hard to seal). Dip a finger in the egg wash and dab a little on the bottom half of the wrapper. Fold the top edge over and press to seal, creating a half-moon shape.
Note: If you're short on time or patience, you can cook up the dumplings at this point and have perfectly respectable and delicious jiao zi on your plate. But, if you are ambitious and want to try your hand at fancier looking jiao zi, go on to the next step to pleat your edge.
9. Moisten the curved edge again, and using the thumb and forefinger of one hand, form pleats. Place the dumplings on the lined baking sheets as you complete them, arranging them in 1 layer so they don’t stick to one another.
10. Cook the dumplings in a pot of boiling water (they're done when they float), or in a hot pan. If pan-searing, heat vegetable oil in a skillet until hot, but not smoking. Fry the dumplings until the bottoms are lightly golden, about 2-3 minutes, then add ½ cup water, cover with a lid, and cook until the liquid is evaporated and the bottoms of the dumplings are crisp, 8-10 minutes.
11. Serve dumplings immediately with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons minced green onion
4 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon spice vinegar
½ teaspoon sugar

Watch Food and Wine This Week to see Leslie Sbrocco, host of Check, Please! Bay Area in a new segment on local food and wine trends. This week, a conversation about celebrating the food and traditions of the Chinese New Year with Bay Area Bites bloggers, Thy Tran and Stephanie Im.

It didn't take long to figure out my contribution to an election night potluck: celebratory jiao zi dumplings made with bipartisan dough.

Inspiration came from the toothsome, homemade, two-tone dumplings served during a recent 9-course dinner at China Stix in Santa Clara. The meal, hosted by the Association of Chinese Cooking Teachers, included a hands-on demonstration of dumpling making with owner Frank Chang and his head chef. Tucked in the corner of a nondescript strip mall, the restaurant is nothing much from the outside. Once inside, though, you'll find some of the best northern-style Chinese food in the Bay Area.

[Photo by Frank Jang]

Instead of green and white, though, my own dumplings would promise the peaceful, delicious coexistence of Red State and Blue State in every single mouthful. For the Republicans, I still had some powder ground from trai gac, a fruit used in Vietnam to color sticky rice a lucky red.

For Blue State representation, I turned to local writer and cooking teacher, Linda Tay Esposito, for a small handful of bunga telang, the petals of dried clitoria flowers that are used to color sweet rice and other desserts in Malaysia. (Yes, Southeast Asians are addicted to brightly colored food.) The flowers are very difficult to obtain, but Linda was willing to sacrifice some of her stash for the Democratic cause. In gratitude, I passed along some of my Republican powder.

Most natural colors are not any more difficult to use than the fake stuff in those little bottles. Most flowers, leaves or barks are best extracted during a cold-water soak. If needed, strain out the solids.

If you're coloring rice, start with a smaller amount of colored water for soaking, to infuse as much concentrated color into the grains as possible, then follow with a second soaking before cooking. (This is a handy trick for deeper golden hues in saffron pilafs, too.) Beets, hibiscus, pandan, turmeric, ube -- we're blessed with many brightly hued foods to lend artistry to our plates.

As we head into the holiday season, with lots of colorful cookies and festive breads to share, it's time to stock up on food colorings. This year, try out natural food colors. If making your own is not appealing or possible, you can find convenient natural colors online. Nature's Flavors offers organic food coloring in both powder and liquid forms.

As for those two-toned, Green Party dumplings at China Stix: Round up some friends and reserve a table, as a full banquet is the best way to experience their excellent variety of dishes. House favorites include the crispy-skinned duck, the tender pork spareribs cooked and presented dramatically inside a whole pumpkin, crazy flaky thousand-layer bread, and refreshing greens punctuated with extra tiny pinenuts.

China Stix
2110 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 244-1684
Map

[Photo by Frank Jang]