Soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, are made by combining ground pork with chilled gelatinized pork stock inside a dough wrapper. When steamed, the gelatin stock melts, so that the diner bites into a dumpling filled with hot soup.
I can substitute a number of fillings for the ground pork and seasonings fairly easily. However, I'm wondering if any of the various vegetarian gelatin substitutes will behave properly to make the gelatinized stock component; that is, will they set to jello hardness when chilled, yet re-liquify when steamed? If so, which one?
More links on veggie "gelatin":
Best Answer
I have successfully made it with agar agar and I serve it at my restaurant in Lucknow, India. I call it Soup Burst Momo (TM) It stays liquefied if consumed within 5 mins of steaming. After that it slowly starts to thicken. Carageenan will give you better results.
The only problem I've faced is that you have to steam it instantly after folding it, otherwise te pastry gets wet due to osmotic movement of water from gel to dough.
Although, it could possibly be addressed by using frozen gel and then against flash freezing the folded dumpling instantly.