Molecular “xiao long bao” recipe

Ingredients

• 500 g minced pork
• 50 g ginger, peeled and sliced
• 50 g shallots
• 80 g spring onion
• 20 g Chinese shao hsing hua tiao chiew
• Sesame oil, to taste
• Dark soy sauce, to taste
• Sugar, to taste
• Salt, to taste

• Gluco, as needed
• Xantana, as needed
• 5 g algin
• 1 litre distilled water

• 60 g chinkiang vinegar
• 1 g agar

1. Mix all xiao long bao ingredients in a metal tray and wrap in cling film. Then steam for 1 hour.
2. Strain, keeping only the liquid. Add 7 g of xantana and 30 g of gluco for each litre of xiao long bao liquid.
3. Mix 5 g of Algin into 1 litre of distilled water.
4. Carefully submerge one spoonful (approx 1 tbsp) of xiao long bao liquid into Algin mixture. Remove xiao long bao spheres after 2 minutes. Rinse in distilled water.
5. Heat slowly in oil (approx 45°C) until service. Remove and rinse in hot water, serve.
Vinegar Sheet
6. Boil vinegar and agar to dissolve, pour onto a flat tray on top of a piece of teflex or cling film until the solution is about 2 mm thick.
7. Put the tray inside the air-dryer for 2 hours to form a thin dried sheet of vinegar, cut into small pieces.
To Serve
8. Remove the xiao long bao spheres and rinse in hot water. Serve with small pieces of the vinegar sheet.