Shanghai-Style Pan-Fried Soup Dumplings (Shengjian)

上海生煎包

Learn to make Shanghai-Style Pan-Fried Soup Dumplings (Shengjian) at home: juicy pork filling, crisp golden bottoms, and steam-crisped tops in 90 minutes.

Ingredients

• high-gluten flour (bread flour)
• pork aspic (broth gelatin), finely minced
• scallions, finely chopped
• white pepper

Instructions

1. Mix flour and 180 ml warm water (40°C) to form shaggy dough. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
2. Combine pork aspic, scallions, white pepper, and 5 ml light soy sauce. Chill mixture 20 minutes so fat firms up.
3. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces (≈25 g each). Roll each into 10 cm circle, place 15 g filling in center, pleat 16–18 times, pinch sealed. Rest 10 minutes.
4. Heat 20 ml oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Arrange buns seam-side down. Fry 3 minutes until bottoms lightly golden.
5. Add 180 ml cold water, cover immediately, and steam 8 minutes. Uncover, cook uncovered 3–4 minutes until water gone and bottoms deeply golden and crisp. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.