The combination of a bite-sized starch + protein as a satisfying meal is prevalent throughout the world. From Eastern Europe's pierogi, Italian ravioli, to Argentina's empanada, baked, boiled, or fried, freshly made dough with flavorful fillings has been the the go-to of many stomach-filling, nutritious meals. The Chinese version is called dumplings, with the Taiwanese version in particular made with amazingly flavorful pork fillings that ooze of delicious broth when bitten into. Paired with a delicious cup of earthy, smooth puer, the richness of the dumplings are mellowed out yet the flavor enhanced. Read on for details on the making of a dumpling below.
Pictured below is the making of a specific type of dumpling from Shanghai called Shanghai Dumpling, or dubbed XLB by some. The crew is pictured here showing (from left to right): freshly cut dough pieces, dough being rolled out into small thin pieces of wrapper, meat being added to the wrappers, finished dumplings laid out onto a tray ready to be steamed inside bamboo steamers.
The steamed Shanghai dumplings are known for the flavorful soup broth inside the wrapping that stays liquid (vs. being dried out from over-cooking) even after steaming. The proper way of eating is to spoon up the dumpling in a soup spoon, bite off a small piece of the dumpling on top to let the steam out, and enjoy with vinegar and sliced ginger. All forms of Chinese dumplings, whether it be XLB, shu mai , won ton, jiaozi, or potstickers, are delicious, especially when paired with a cup of puer.
