Xiao long bao

Xiaolongbao refers to a type of small Chinese steamed bun (baozi) traditionally prepared in a xiaolong, a small bamboo steaming basket. Xiaolongbao are often referred to as a kind of "dumpling", but are distinct from Chinese jiaozi or wonton. In some parts of China and overseas, xiao long bao may specifically refer to a kind of soup dumpling, the tangbao (Chinese: 汤包) of Jiangnan cuisine, which are strongly associated with Shanghai and Wuxi. In Shanghainese, these are also known as siaulon moedeu or xiaolong mantou, as Wu Chinese-speaking peoples use the traditional definition of "mantou", which refers to both filled and unfilled buns. Shengjianbao are very similar to tangbao but are pan-fried instead of steamed. "Xiaolongbao" originated in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, by Wan Hua Tea House in the years of Daoguang Emperor (1820 to 1850). Xiaolongbao evolved from the guantangbao (soup-filled dumplings/buns) from Kaifeng, Henan province, the capital city of Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960–1127). There are numerous styles of xiaolongbao in Jiangsu cuisine. Shanghai-style xiaolongbao originated in Nanxiang, which was a neighboring village of Shanghai in Jiangsu that eventually ended up becoming an outer suburb of Shanghai's Jiading District. The inventor of xiaolongbao sold them in his first store in Nanxiang next to the town's notable park, Guyi Garden. From there the xiaolongbao expanded into downtown Shanghai and outward. The Suzhou and Wuxi styles are larger (sometimes twice as large as a Nanxiang-style soup dumpling) and have sweeter fillings. The Nanjing style is smaller with an almost translucent skin and less meat.

Source: Wikipedia