Xiaolongbao

Steamed dumplings with pork and hot soup — Shanghai's signature dish and one of China's most famous culinary exports. Xiaolongbao (literally "small buns") are delicate pockets of dough filled with seasoned pork and a proprietary broth that turns to soup when steamed.

The dish originated in Nanxiang, a town in Shanghai's Jiading District, during the late Qing Dynasty. What makes xiaolongbao special is the carefully balanced ratio of dough to filling to soup — too much dough and you miss the soup; too little and the dumpling falls apart. The skill lies in creating just enough gelatinized broth that melts during steaming into that signature hot soup.

How to eat xiaolongbao properly: First, use chopsticks to lift the dumpling gently (they're fragile). Second, bite a small corner of the top to let out steam and prevent burning your mouth. Third, sip the hot soup through the hole. Finally, dip in black vinegar with shredded ginger and eat the rest. Never bite it whole — that's how you'll burn your tongue and spill the precious soup.