Xiao Changchun (Mini Changchun Dumplings)

Name: Xiao Changchun (Mini Changchun Dumplings)
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 125 g dried meat swallow skin; 200 g pork belly (minced together with fresh fish meat); 10 g mustard greens (5g with leaves removed and stems minced; remaining with leaves removed and stems minced); 15 g Shaoxing wine; 5 g MSG; 0.5 g sesame oil; 10 g rendered lard; 75 g fresh fish meat (minced together with pork belly); 15 g fresh shrimp meat (finely chopped); 2.5 g laver seaweed (soaked in cold boiled water, rinsed, set aside); 25 g wet starch; 40 g shrimp oil; 500 g pork bone broth

A signature Fuzhou-style dish made by wrapping filling in rou yan (meat) skin and shaped to resemble a long-life flower. The wrapper is soft, glutinous, and delicately tender, while the filling is rich and savory.

1h 15m

Easy

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Xiao Changchun (Mini Changchun Dumplings)

Ingredients

dried meat swallow skin 125 g

pork belly (minced together with fresh fish meat) 200 g

mustard greens (5g with leaves removed and stems minced; remaining with leaves removed and stems minced) 10 g

Shaoxing wine 15 g

MSG 5 g

sesame oil 0.5 g

rendered lard 10 g

fresh fish meat (minced together with pork belly) 75 g

fresh shrimp meat (finely chopped) 15 g

laver seaweed (soaked in cold boiled water, rinsed, set aside) 2.5 g

wet starch 25 g

shrimp oil 40 g

pork bone broth 500 g

Instructions

Make the Filling

Mince the fresh fish meat and pork belly together into a paste, and finely chop the shrimp meat. Remove the leaves from 5g of mustard greens, keep the stems and finely chop them. Place all of the above ingredients in a small bowl, add 15g pork bone broth, 25g shrimp oil, and wet starch, and mix well to form a filling. Remove the leaves from the remaining mustard greens, keep the stems and finely chop them. Soak the laver seaweed in cold boiled water, rinse it, and set aside.

Shape the Dumplings

Cut the dried meat swallow skin into 6 cm square pieces, about 72 pieces in total. Place one portion of filling in the center of each swallow skin sheet, then fold the skin in half across the middle and pinch tightly closed, allowing the edges to curl naturally into a chrysanthemum shape — hence the name 'Xiao Changchun'. Arrange the formed dumplings on a steamer tray lined with a clean white cloth and steam over high heat for 5 minutes, then remove.

Blanch the Dumplings

Place the steamed Xiao Changchun into a pot of boiling water, return to a boil over high heat, then scoop them out and transfer into a soup bowl. Sprinkle with the chopped mustard green stems and add the soaked laver seaweed.

Finish the Soup

Set a wok over high heat, add 485g pork bone broth and bring to a boil. Season with shrimp oil, Shaoxing wine, and MSG, stir to combine, then pour the seasoned broth into the soup bowl over the dumplings. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.