Xiâolóngbāo (小籠包)

There are four essential pairings with Xiao long man tou and they are required to fully appreciate these wonderful dumplings. The first is Zhejiang vinegar. This vinegar is produced in the Zhejiang province of the lower Yangtze and has accompanied to dumpling since it first began being served. The vinegar is a dark brown color and is served alongside ginger (the second essential pairing). Vinegar is used as a type of umami as previously stated and it is particularly important when eating the dumplings in their region of origin because the acidic vinegar is said to wash away the excess grease on the dumplings and clean away any impurities (salt) that may have accumulated from the condensation in the steamer. People in Shanghai, where tap water is notoriously bad tasting, say the vinegar “kills the bad taste of water”. The second essential pairing is pickled or fresh ginger. Again the ginger functions as a sweet umami. It also believed to have health benefits as previously discussed. It is also worth noting that the white or yellow colored ginger contrasts nicely with the brown vinegar.