Shanghai
Master Traditional Xiaolongbao
From $60 / person
Ingredients and venue included; see checkout for dietary add-ons.
Your host
Chef Auntie Chen
Twenty years in Shanghainese kitchens · English host notes
About this activity
Xiaolongbao look simple until you try the skin: thin enough to glimpse the soup inside, strong enough not to tear. In a working kitchen near the old lanes, you’ll knead a hot-water dough, learn folding counts (often 16–20 pleats), and simmer aspic that melts into soup. By the end you’ll steam your own basket and eat them the Shanghainese way—without scalding yourself.
What you’ll do
- Kitchen orientation, hygiene, and how “soup inside dumpling” works.
- Mix dough and rest; roll skins with consistent “turbine” edge thickness.
- Fill with pork–crab or classic pork (seasonal options announced before class).
- Fold under coaching; troubleshoot tears and sticky bottoms.
- Steam, dip in black vinegar with ginger, and compare textures with the host’s demo batch.
What’s included
All ingredients & steamers Recipe card (bilingual summary) Eat what you make + host tasting flight
Not included
- Alcohol (BY request only where venue allows)
- Transport to the lane-house kitchen
Meeting point
A restored lane-house kitchen in the former French Concession—exact address and gate photo sent after booking. Use Metro Line 1 / 10 South Shanxi Rd; 6-minute walk.
Good to know
- Contains pork by default; plant-based trial slots may open seasonally—message host after booking.
- Standing work ~3 hours; stools available during tasting.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before start. Late changes may forfeit prepaid ingredient fees per host policy.