Hao Family Shaomai

Hao Family Shaomai

　　Hao Delin’s shaomai are shaped like pomegranates, as white as jade, with thin yet resilient wrappers and tender, fresh fillings. They are rich in oil but not greasy, made with lamb that lacks any strong gamey taste. Highly appreciated by the public, they have maintained their renowned reputation for over fifty years of business. Hao Delin was originally from Malanyu Town and grew up helping his father run a food stall on the street. Later, he noticed a Hui Muslim elderly man named Shi Daba pushing a cart to sell shaomai on the streets of Malanyu, making good money. He secretly learned the craft of making shaomai from him. After Shi Daba retired from the business, Hao began selling shaomai himself.

　　Hao Family Shaomai has always been made with very high standards. The dough is made from premium refined flour. The filling uses fresh lamb, combined with a clear broth in which the meat is cooked along with medicinal seasonings such as angelica, cardamom, cloves, fennel, Sichuan peppercorn, and star anise. It is then seasoned with scallions, garlic, ginger, monosodium glutamate, and a small amount of fresh Chinese cabbage along with the right amount of sesame oil. The preparation method is very meticulous: first, the dough is scalded with 60-degree hot water, kneaded evenly, divided into small pieces, and rolled into shapes similar to dumpling wrappers. Starch powder is used to make the dough smooth, which is then stacked, and the edges are rolled thin using a rolling pin, forming the shaomai wrappers—these look like lotus leaves, thin as rice paper. The prepared meat filling is placed on top, the wrapper is folded and pinched closed by hand, and then the shaomai are steamed until cooked.

　　Hao Delin’s shaomai were discontinued for many years due to the disruptions of the “Leftist” policies in earlier years. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the shaomai business reopened, and on August 11, 1984, the signboard of “Yilaishun Halal Shaomai Restaurant” was hung. Thanks to the genuine quality and delicious taste of the shaomai he serves, customers flock to the restaurant every day. Some would rather go hungry than miss the chance to dine at the “Yilaishun Halal Shaomai Restaurant” in Zunhua’s West Gate.