'Exploding' soup dumpling video riles Asian foodies

A screen capture of Time Out London's video. [Photo/Screen capture from Facebook account of Time Out London]

The xiao long bao, or dumplings with meat filling as well as soup, is a widely popular dish for foodies in China.

How popular? Enough that the Taiwan restaurant Din Tai Fung which specializes in making xiao long bao mastered the art so much that it earned itself a Michelin star.

Each dumpling is filled with minced pork and broth, and often served with thinly sliced ginger strips and a small plate of black vinegar for dipping.

To many foodies, the steaming hot broth inside, usually made from gelatinized soup blocks which melt as the dumplings are steamed, is the most prized part of each little bundle of joy.

Many have pointed out that the traditional way to eat a xiao long bao is to first bite a bit of the peel, drink the soup first, and then enjoy the rest of the dumpling.