Xin'an Steamed Dough Dumplings

Xin'an Steamed Dough Dumplings

　　The traditional snack Xin'an Steamed Dough Dumplings was created in the third year of the Republic of China (1914) and has a history of over 80 years. At that time, Ren Lao Da from Kaifeng and Wang Jindou from the local county opened a restaurant at Xin'an County Railway Station, selling “Lao Ren Steamed Dough Dumplings.” Thanks to a scientific recipe and meticulous preparation, the dumplings had soft yet firm wrappers, glistening as if dripping with juice, shaped like crescent moons, with a color like flawless jade, deliciously savory yet not greasy, and truly tasty—earning them the reputation of “renowned across the 3,000-li Longhai Railway, and the finest flavor in the He-Luo region.”

　　After Ren Lao Da passed away, Wang Jindou renamed the shop “Lao Wang Steamed Dough Dumplings.” His son, Wang Defa, carried on the family business, helping this beloved snack thrive. In 1980, Wang Defa was even invited to Zhengzhou to teach his craft.

　　To this day, there are specialty restaurants serving “Xin'an County Steamed Dough Dumplings” in cities such as Luoyang and Zhengzhou. In recent years, Xin'an’s “Fangji Steamed Dough Dumplings” have innovated upon the traditional technique, further enhancing the flavor. Since 1986, they have been repeatedly recognized as “Luoyang Famous Snacks,” and in 1993, they were invited to participate in Beijing’s Asian Games Welcome Food Festival, where they received widespread acclaim.

　　The method of preparation is as follows: Select fresh pork from the shoulder or buttock area, with an appropriate mix of fat and lean, mince it, and mix it with various seasonings and original meat broth to form the filling; then scald the flour with boiling water, roll it out into wrappers, and wrap them into crescent-shaped dough dumplings. Steam them in a basket for 10 minutes to finish.

　　Production technique: Achieving dumplings with soft wrappers, firm yet tender texture, glistening as if dripping with juice, shaped like crescent moons, and colored like flawless jade—that is the highest level of artistry.

　　Selected ingredients: High-quality wheat flour for the wrappers, green onions, Chinese chives, Chinese cabbage hearts, ginger, along with white sugar, cooking wine, toasted sesame oil, salt, and monosodium glutamate.

　　Special legend: Created in the third year of the Republic of China (1914) and with a history of over 80 years. At that time, Ren Lao Da from Kaifeng and Wang Jindou from the local county opened a restaurant at Xin'an County Railway Station, selling “Lao Ren Steamed Dough Dumplings.” They earned the reputation of “renowned across the 3,000-li Longhai Railway, and the finest flavor in the He-Luo region.”