Chinese Cuisine
Sheng Jian Bao (Pan-Fried Soup Dumplings)
Shanghai's iconic pan-fried buns with a juicy pork filling, crispy bottom, and sesame-scallion top
You hear sheng jian bao before you taste them: the sizzle of dough hitting oiled cast iron, the hiss of water added for steaming, and the crackle as the bottoms crisp again after the steam evaporates. When you pick one up, it is heavier than you expect, dense with soup trapped inside the dough. The bottom is golden and crunchy, the top soft and slightly chewy from the yeasted dough, and when you bite through, a rush of hot, savory pork broth floods your mouth. It is one of the most thrilling textures in Chinese street food.
Sheng jian bao are Shanghai's answer to xiao long bao, the steamed soup dumplings of Jiangnan. Both contain a liquid filling created by gelatin that melts during cooking. But where xiao long bao are delicate and translucent, sheng jian bao are hearty and robust, made with leavened dough and cooked by a combination of pan-frying and steaming that gives them their signature contrast of crispy bottom and pillowy top. They are a breakfast and lunch food in Shanghai, sold from stalls and dedicated shops across the city, typically four to a serving.
The practical key is the aspic, a set gelatin made from pork skin or chicken stock that is chopped and folded into the raw filling. At room temperature, it is solid, which makes the buns easy to fill and pleat. During cooking, the gelatin melts, creating the soup that makes these buns so extraordinary. Without it, you have a perfectly fine pan-fried bun, but with it, you have something that people travel across cities to eat.
At a Glance
Yield
24 buns
Prep
60 minutes (plus resting)
Cook
20 minutes
Total
80 minutes (plus resting)
Difficulty
Involved
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cupall-purpose flour
- ¼ ozinstant yeast
- 1¼ tspsugar
- ½ tspsalt
- ¾ cupwarm water (about 35°C)
- 2 tspvegetable oil
- 7 ozpork skin, cleaned and any hair removed
- 2⅛ cupwater
- 3 slicesfresh ginger
- 1scallion, cut into pieces
- ¾ tbspShaoxing wine
- ¾ lbground pork (not too lean)
- ½ fl ozlight soy sauce
- ¾ tbspShaoxing wine
- 1 tspsesame oil
- 1¼ tspsugar
- ½ tspsalt
- ⅞ tspwhite pepper
- 2½ tbspfresh ginger, grated
- 1 fl ozwater
- —Chopped aspic (all of the above)
- 2 tbspvegetable oil
- ⅓ cupwater (for steaming)
- 1 tbspblack sesame seeds
- 2scallions, finely chopped
Method
- 1
Prepare the aspic in advance (at least 4 hours ahead or the night before). Place the cleaned pork skin in a pot with the water, ginger, scallion, and Shaoxing wine. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 90 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about half and feels slightly sticky when you rub it between your fingers.
- 2
Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Pour into a shallow container and refrigerate until fully set into a firm jelly, at least 3 hours. Once set, chop the aspic into small pieces (roughly 5 mm cubes). Keep refrigerated until needed.
- 3
Make the dough. Combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water gradually, mixing with chopsticks until a shaggy dough forms. Add the vegetable oil and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
- 4
While the dough rests, prepare the filling. In a bowl, combine the ground pork, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, sugar, salt, white pepper, and grated ginger. Add the water a tablespoon at a time, stirring vigorously in one direction after each addition. The water helps create a juicier, more tender filling. The mixture should be cohesive and slightly sticky.
- 5
Fold the chopped cold aspic into the pork mixture. Mix gently to distribute evenly. Refrigerate the filling until you are ready to fill the buns. Cold filling is easier to work with and ensures the aspic stays solid.
- 6
Divide the rested dough into 24 equal pieces (about 20 g each). Roll each piece into a ball and cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
- 7
Flatten each ball with your palm, then use a rolling pin to roll into a circle about 8 cm in diameter. The edges should be slightly thinner than the center, which provides a stronger base for pleating and a more delicate top.
- 8
Place about 20 g of filling (roughly a generous tablespoon) in the center of each wrapper. Pleat the edges, pinching and twisting to create 12 to 16 folds that gather at the top, sealing the bun closed. Twist the top to secure.
- 9
Place the pleated buns on a lightly floured surface, seam side up. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes, until they feel noticeably puffy and lighter when picked up.
- 10
Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron or non-stick) over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Place the buns in the skillet seam side up, leaving about 1 cm between each bun. They will expand slightly during cooking.
- 11
Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and crispy. You can lift one gently with a spatula to check.
- 12
Carefully pour in the 100 ml of water. It will splatter, so stand back. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to medium-low.
- 13
Let the buns steam for 6 to 8 minutes. The water will gradually evaporate. You will hear the sizzling return once the water is gone, which means the bottoms are crisping again.
- 14
Remove the lid. Sprinkle the black sesame seeds and chopped scallions over the buns. Cook uncovered for another 1 to 2 minutes to ensure the bottoms are deeply golden and crispy. The tops should be set and fluffy, the buns expanded and firm.
- 15
Use a spatula to carefully loosen the buns from the pan. Serve immediately, bottom side up to showcase the golden crust. Eat with caution: the soup inside is very hot.
Key Ingredient Benefits
Pork skin is rich in collagen, which converts to gelatin during long simmering. Gelatin is a protein that has been traditionally associated with joint and skin health in Chinese food culture, and some modern research supports its role in connective tissue maintenance.
Ground pork provides complete protein and B vitamins. The fat content is important for flavor and juiciness; overly lean pork produces dry, bland filling.
Sesame seeds are a source of calcium, iron, and lignans, a group of phytoestrogens that research suggests may have antioxidant and mild hormonal balancing properties.
Why This Works
The aspic is the engineering behind the soup. At room temperature, the gelatin is solid, making it possible to fold it into the filling and shape the buns without liquid leaking out. During cooking, the gelatin melts at around 30°C to 40°C, well below the temperature inside the steaming bun, transforming from a solid into the hot, savory soup that makes sheng jian bao so remarkable.
The yeasted dough, unlike the unleavened wrappers used for xiao long bao, provides a sturdier container that can withstand pan-frying without tearing. The yeast also gives the top of the bun a soft, bread-like quality that contrasts with the crispy bottom.
The cooking method combines two types of heat transfer: conduction (from the hot pan) and convection (from the steam). The pan-frying crisps the bottom, while the steam cooks the top and interior. When the water evaporates, the bottom re-crisps, creating the defining textural contrast of the dish.
Substitutions & Variations
- Aspic shortcut: If making pork skin aspic feels daunting, dissolve 7 g of unflavored gelatin powder in 250 ml of hot, well-seasoned chicken stock. Refrigerate until set. The result is lighter than pork skin aspic but still creates soup inside the buns.
- Filling variations: A mix of pork and shrimp is a popular Shanghai variation. Crab meat and pork is a luxurious option.
- Vegetarian: Finely diced firm tofu mixed with chopped wood ear mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage, bound with agar-set vegetable stock for the soup component.
- Without yeast: Some modern recipes use a hot water dough (tangzhong style) instead of yeasted dough. The texture will be different but still delicious.
Serving Suggestions
Serve sheng jian bao in sets of four, as is traditional in Shanghai. Accompany with a small dish of Chinkiang black vinegar mixed with julienned ginger for dipping. Eating technique matters: pick up the bun, bite a small hole in the top, sip the hot soup, then dip the bun in vinegar and eat. A cup of hot soy milk or a bowl of congee on the side completes the Shanghai breakfast experience.
Storage & Reheating
Sheng jian bao are best eaten immediately. The crispy bottoms soften quickly. If you must store them, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a lightly oiled skillet with a splash of water, covered, over medium heat until warmed through and the bottoms re-crisp. Alternatively, uncooked buns can be frozen on a sheet pan, then transferred to a freezer bag for up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes of steaming time.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 339kcal (17%)|Total Carbohydrates: 31.5g (11%)|Protein: 17.9g (36%)|Total Fat: 15g (19%)|Saturated Fat: 4.3g (22%)|Cholesterol: 45mg (15%)|Sodium: 442mg (19%)|Dietary Fiber: 1.4g (5%)|Total Sugars: 1.6g
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