The first challenge was preparing the jelly that is the key to the xiao long bao's soupy center.

WSJ: The Wow in Xiao Long Bao

Determined to master xiao long bao at home, I quizzed dumpling makers in Shanghai and Nanxiang, checked my notes on visits to the Taipei headquarters of Din Tai Fung and rifled through a multitude of cookbooks.

WSJ: The Wow in Xiao Long Bao