Sheng Jian Bao

Promises of endless xiao long bao lured me to Shanghai after the first fateful encounter at Joe’s Shanghai in New York City only 2 years before. How that hot broth managed to remain protected behind the thin dumpling skin was such a mystery (until a thorough internet search revealed the secret that I think I would now prefer to remain mystified by). I had to taste the real thing.

Upon arrival, I was enthusiastically informed of a near cousin of xiao long bao – sheng jian bao. “It’s like xiao long bao but fried.” Oooh! Now that is an intriguing idea. The Americans enlightening me on this form of baozi claim to relish the frying methods. Frying things is a favorite method of cooking in the States, especially in the South. Caramelizing the dumpling skin would add a whole dimension to the experience.

The roads to sheng jian bao in Shanghai lead to Wujiang Lu, off of Nanjing Xi Lu, a short walk from the metro station. Here is a street packed with little low-brow restaurants and people milling about and bouncing from window to window to decide which place will serve the most satisfying meal of the moment. Yang’s Fry Dumpling sits on the east end of the road, right next to another Yang’s Fry Dumpling. With one being so good, imagine having another location right next door!

The prep area is full of people ripping off small pieces from a giant dumpling dough ball and spooning some filling in before swiftly closing off the dumpling and throwing it in a large, heavy iron pan. The pan lined with raw sheng jian bao is put over a flame and doused with oil before being covered with a large wooden lid to steam. Once done cooking, a sprinkling of sesame seeds completes the cooking process.


Ordering is done at a till first where you pay. Each order of sheng jian bao is of 4 for 5¥ and two orders can make a satisfying meal. You take your receipt to the prep area where a server will either scoop the hot dumplings in a take away carton or in a bowl to eat there. Service is fast and efficient, but there is no order. If another customer who ordered after you manages to get their ticket to the server first, you will have to wait after one more person until you get your ticket in.


Sheng jian bao is larger in size to its xiao long bao counterpart, resembling a small ball than dumpling. Its rounder shape holds due to a thicker dumpling skin and that the fried bottom reinforces its base. Unlike xiao long bao, you cannot pop the whole thing in your mouth, unless you have a really big mouth. Plus, all the juice contained within the thick dumpling walls will squirt out like a water hose. It’s also extremely hot and the juices inside tongue searing. Chinese like their food fresh so what’s fresher than straight from the pan?

Eating the dumpling is not as neat as the xiao long bao. There is more mass to deal with and if you are not careful, the dumpling will jump out from between your chopsticks and land in the vinegar dipping sauce getting more liquid everywhere. If your skills are not up to par, then add oily broth from the dumpling to the vinegar for an even bigger splash. Getting through the dumpling skin is not so easy either as it is a lot thicker and more held together from the frying process making it more difficult to neatly bite off a bit of dough to create a little hole to slurp the juices from.

Yang’s sheng jian is quite tasty though a bit more fattening from all the oil. The best part is all the incredible juices the meat is floating in. There are a lot of other dumpling shops in Shanghai serving sheng jian bao, but they say that Yang’s is the best.

For my personal taste, I would choose xiao long bao over sheng jian bao. The much thinner dumpling skin and steaming do not make the dumpling so heavy and weigh you down. After a steamer of soup dumplings, you are still satisfied, but do not feel bloated or lethargic from the oil. Though, that aspect is more likely to be craved for after a long night of drinking.

Yang’s Fry Dumpling. 54-60 Wujiang Lu, Nanjing Xi Lu near Nanjing Xi Lu.