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The real Shanghai dealSoup dumplings at Nanxiang's offer a unique taste of the cityBy Kristie LuStout Editor's note: CNN International anchor and correspondent Kristie LuStout writes her "Shanghai Diary" as part of CNN's extensive "Eye on China" coverage. She will file stories daily from Shanghai and the surrounding region.  Some Chinese families still hide a coin in a dumpling meal, with the finder considered the luckiest. SHANGHAI DIARYSPECIAL REPORTYOUR E-MAIL ALERTSSHANGHAI, China (CNN) -- Shanghai is a city for international foodies -- you can savor the salt roasted lamb at M on the Bund, twirl through the fresh pasta at Palladio, or just bask in the glam atmosphere of Jean-Georges. But for me, no trip to the metropolis is complete without a bite of the city's famous "soup dumplings." And that requires a trip to a Shanghai institution, the Nanxiang Dumpling House. It may be 100 years old, but the place still draws the crowds. Locals queue outside for takeaway, or grab that rare empty seat in one of the bustling dining rooms upstairs. A lot of clamor just for a taste of Nanxiang's "xiao long bao," Shanghai's signature steamed dumplings. I recently joined Chef Sun Wei Ming in the kitchen to find out how to make the real Shanghai deal. First, he rolls out a very thin skin of dough. After he prepares the thin pastry, he stuffs it with a variety of fillings. Traditionally, the dumplings are filled with seasoned minced pork or pork mixed with crab, but there also are vegetarian options as well, such as mushrooms and chives. But how do the chefs get the celebrated soup inside the dumpling? Simple. They cool a concentrated pork broth until it becomes a jelly. The jelly is then diced and mixed in with the filling. The dumplings are then placed in a bamboo basket -- hence its name ("xiao long bao" literally means "little basket dumplings"). It takes roughly 10 minutes to steam a basket, and then they're ready to serve. Eating the "xiao long bao" is also an art, especially if you want to enjoy them without scalding your tongue or getting the broth all over your shirt! This is my take on how to devour the dumpling. First, I gently pick it up with my chopsticks and rest it on a porcelain spoon. Then, I take a tiny bite at the side -- this allows the juices inside to cool. And finally, I dip the dumpling into a small dish of dark Chinese vinegar topped off with some shredded ginger. Perfection. The Shanghai soup dumplings can be found all over the city, but I continually return to the Nanxiang for my fix. A warning: the restaurant does occasionally play host to busloads of tourists, but it's worth wading through the crowds. Its steamed snacks are consistently delicious! 
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