Xiaolongbao facts for kids

xiaolongbao
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	小笼包
Traditional Chinese	小籠包
Literal meaning	little-basket bun
Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin	xiǎolóngbāo
- Wade–Giles	hsiao-lung-pao
- IPA	/ɕi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹¹lʊŋ³⁵pɑʊ̯⁵⁵/
- Gwoyeu Romatzyh	sheaulongbau
- Bopomofo	ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄌㄨㄥˊ ㄅㄠ
Min
- Hokkien POJ	siò-làng-pau
Wu
- Shanghainese; romanization	sioh³³-lon⁴⁴-bo
Cantonese (Yue)
- Jyutping	siu²-lung⁴-baau¹
xiaolong mantou
Simplified Chinese	小笼馒头
Traditional Chinese	小籠饅頭
Literal meaning	little-basket steamed bun; "little-basket steamed head"
Transcriptions
Mandarin
- Hanyu Pinyin	xiǎolóng mántou
- Wade–Giles	hsiao-lung man-t‘ou
Wu
- Shanghainese; romanization	sioh³³-lon⁴⁴ meu²²-doe⁴⁴; IPA: /siɔ³³lǫ̃⁴⁴-mø²²dɤ⁺⁴⁴/
Japanese name
Kanji	小籠包
Kana	ショウロンポウ
Hiragana	しょうろんぽう
Transcriptions
- Romanization	shōronpō

Xiaolongbao
	Steamed xiaolongbao served in a traditional steaming basket
Alternative names	Xiaolong bao, xiao long bao, soup dumplings, xiaolong mantou, XLB
Course	Dim sum, xiaochi
Place of origin	China
Region or state	Jiangnan (Shanghai, Wuxi)
Main ingredients	Leavened or unleavened dough, minced pork (or other meats), aspic

Xiaolongbao (小笼包) are small steamed buns, originally from the Jiangnian region in China, especially connected to Shanghai and Wuxi. Traditionally they are filled with pork, but this can be mixed with other things, like crab meat and roe (eggs). Modern versions of these buns are often contain other meats, seafood or vegetarian fillings.

The buns are wrapped in a dough, which sometimes gets bigger by rising (called a leavened dough), or they're wrapped in a dough which doesn't do this (called an unleavened dough). The buns are then steamed over boiling water to cook them.

It is possible to buy deep frozen Xiaolongbao worldwide, normally in special shops or supermarkets which sell ingredients for Chinese cooking.

Images for kids

Making xiaolongbao at Nanxiang Mantou Dian, Roppongi Hills
The perennial queue outside the Nanxiang Bun Shop in Shanghai