One of the major components of soup dumplings is the broth, of course. The most traditional recipes make the broth with water and pork bones. Scallions, Chinese rice wine, ginger, garlic, white pepper, and other herbs or traditional seasonings could be used.

Xiaolongbao are traditionally filled with pork. More modern innovations include other meats, seafood, shrimp, crab meat, and vegetarian fillings. Soup dumplings are created by wrapping solid meat aspic inside the skin alongside the meat filling. Heat from steaming then melts the gelatin-gelled aspic into soup.

Xiao Long Bao (Soup Dumplings)

Xiao Long Bao (XLB), or soup dumplings, are probably the most famous of Shangai's steamed dumplings, and rightly so. These are delicately pleated balls of dough with broth and pork meat filling. Yes - they don't float in the soup. Instead, they encase the yummy warm broth inside the dough wrapper.