Dish in Focus: Dim Sum Library’s dan dan xiao long bao

Thankfully, Hong Kong has no shortage of places to eat xiao long bao, from Paradise Dynasty’s experimental rainbow flavours to the famous Din Tai Fung. Thought to have originated in Shanghai, the delicate pork and soup-filled dumplings are widely loved in Hong Kong – as is all dim sum.

Aqua Restaurant Group’s executive dim sum chef, Leung Kwok-wah understands that no dim sum menu would be complete without these meaty soup parcels. Having completed his initial chef training at Hutong, Leung began thinking outside the box. “The dan dan noodles there left a lasting impression and inspired me to incorporate those unique flavours into a dumpling,” he says.

Another favourite among Hongkongers, dan dan noodles come from Sichuan, where they are served in a spicy minced meat, bean sprout and chilli oil broth. “My idea [for Dim Sum Library] was to achieve a two-in-one experience by creating a dumpling that included both the ground meat sauce from dan dan noodles and the broth, within the dumpling itself,” says Leung.

At Hutong, the noodles are served in a home-made spicy sauce created from peanut butter, sesame paste, chilli oil, Zhenjiang vinegar and dark soy sauce. Chef Leung prepares his dumplings on site daily, combining fresh ground pork with the Hutong-inspired spicy sauce and dan dan broth, along with fish gelatin to create a soup jelly that melts inside the dumpling, once it is steamed.

“When we launched this dish in 2016, spicy xiao long bao was virtually unheard of in the market,” he says. “It quickly became a favourite among our customers the moment it was introduced.”

Leung suggests pairing the flavour-packed xiao long bao with Puer tea, to complement the dish’s richness, numbing quality, and distinct notes of sesame, peanut and black vinegar.

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