Review of Trader Joe’s steamed PORK AND GINGER SOUP DUMPLINGS (aka Xiao Long Bao)
Now I am what you might call a devotee of Xiao Long Bao or “soup dumplings”. I am crazy for them. I mean really good ones and thankfully New York City has a number of places where one can get excellent soup dumplings. One of my favorite places is in Flushing, Queens at a well known restaurant that specializes in them called, “NAN XIANG XIAO LONG BAO “(If you can, go there!) This place is famous for soup dumplings and the restaurant even has huge glass windows so you can see into the kitchen and watch a swarm of kitchen workers making them continuously in front of you. First rolling out the delicate dough wrappers. Stuffing those wrappers with the famous stuffing that has lots of gelatin which dissolves into liquid when they get steamed to make a bit of soup inside each one.
I think I had these Trader Joe’s version before and was not overly impressed. Especially as I had microwaved them – which I’ve now learned is not the best method (steam them)!
What prompted me to give them another try was we recently went to a new smaller sister place called Nan Xiang Express which recently opened up in New York City. We went to one on the Upper West Side and got the classic pork Xiao Long Bao.
Trader Joe’s version can’t equal those of course. Never the less when I made the Trader Joe’s dumplings the next day to compare them, we actually enjoyed them. This time I steamed them which gives a better result. Both of us said the same thing “Of course these are not as good as the restaurants but these are actually tasty. These are not at all bad.” For what these are, for the convenience and the price I have to say these are well worth your trying.
We enjoyed them with the sauce I made*. Sure the wrappers in these are a bit thick, not anywhere near as delicate or beautifully plated like Nan Xiang’s but again overall these are quite tasty and they did have a little spoonful of hot soup which you could suck out. Pour a little dumpling sauce* on and these make a pretty yummy snack or appetizer. Sure you can build a dinner around these (figure six per person for dinner plus some veggies, rice and other goodies)
Some people I hear are saying making these in soup and eating them like that.
Certainly the price here is great, six dumplings for $3.49 (at the restaurant: these are $10 for 6 pork dumplings and about $12 for the even yummier pork and crab version).
RECIPE: CLASSIC SOUP DUMPLING SAUCE (mix 3 parts Chinese black vinegar, 1 part soy sauce and a small knob of peeled fresh ginger, julienned or grated)
HOW TO COOK TRADER JOE’S SOUP DUMPLINGS – TIP: The traditional steaming method will give you a better result than microwaving these!
STOVE-TOP/STEAMED: “Fill a pot fitted with a steamer basket with water and bring to a boil. Place dumplings into steamer with space between them. Do not crowd. Cover with lid and steam for 8-10 minutes until fully heated. Remove carefully. Caution: these dumplings will be really really hot! Carefully pick up dumpling (chopsticks) and place on a spoon. Carefully bite dumpling to release the soup into the spoon. Slurp carefully. Eat dumpling”
Enjoy these with a little dumpling sauce. The way I eat these is I pick up a dumpling very carefully with chopsticks by the top, and finagle it gently into a deep size spoon (you don’t want to pierce accidentally and loose any soup inside). Carefully nibble a hole and suck out the soup and pour a drizzle of sauce onto my spoon.
A little bit of chili crisp too can be nice if you like spice (my jam is the real Lao Gan Ma).
“From the same supplier that helped us bring Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings to Trader Joe’s, we are thrilled to introduce Trader Joe’s Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings. Inspired by the same original soup dumplings, xiao long bao, that originated in the Jiangsu province of China, this type of dumpling is traditionally prepared in a xiaolong, the small bamboo steaming basket from which it gets its name. In English-speaking countries they’re most often called Soup Dumplings because they are filled with hot soup (and therefore must be eaten carefully!) Xiao long bao are traditionally filled with pork, so this second entry in our freezers adheres closer to culinary tradition.”
Wow is this new dried Green Mango from Trader Joe’s good. I found it just delicious. All I know is that bag went fast as I could not stop eating it.
Strips of green mango which have been cut into thin strips, then sweetened and dried. They are not hard or tough, just pleasantly chewy. Now green, or unripe mango is tart. These are sweet with just the tiniest hint of tartness which makes this quite savory and delicious.
TJ’s has this to say: “Just how does our glorious Green Mango get its tangy twist? It’s pretty simple, actually. Our Thai supplier picks their mangoes early, before they’re ripe. The mangoes are peeled, sliced into strips, and sweetened with cane sugar, then dried in a unique process that uses vegetable-based glycerin to keep the Mango soft, but never mushy.”
Trader Joe’s has recently introduced their own HOISIN SAUCE.
What’s hoisin (hoy-sin) sauce you say? Hoisin is a classic Chinese sauce . I’m pretty sure I first learned of it eating Peking Duck, as its the traditional classic slightly sweet sauce spread on the pancakes with the duck and scallions.
“Made from fermented soy bean paste and brown sugar, making it vegan. Highly versatile condiment for stir fry sauce. Mix into sauteed mushrooms or noodles“
“Like any truly great #HoisinSauce, ours expresses a certain sticky sweetness, savory character, and velvety texture that make it exceptionally versatile. It’s made with a base of fermented soybean paste, black sesame paste, and brown sugar, and seasoned with aromatic spices like star anise, garlic powder, coriander seed, and Szechuan peppercorns.”
Most people know hoisin sauce from eating Peking Duck served in buns or pancakes. Naturally it matches well with duck but also chicken, pork and perhaps even a bit on a hamburger. You can use this with other ingredients (garlic, ginger, soy sauce) to add to Asian dishes, like stir fried dishes, and noodle dishes, etc or meats. Its versatile and good to have in the fridge for making Asian dishes.
A good versatile Asian sauce to to have in the fridge. Will last a long time.
“Trader Joe’s salted edamame (soybeans) are blanched, salted and then quick frozen to seal in the freshness”
If you’ve every been to a Japanese restaurant, you probably have know what edamame are. Served warm they are soybeans still in their fuzzy pods. The beans are inside the a green fuzzy pod. You eat them extracting the beans with a combination of mouth and fingers, pushing a bean out with your finger plus sucking them out of the pod. The experience is kind of fun. This is legit playing with your food.
Trader Joe’s “Salted Edamame” are cooked edamame soybean in pods, which get frozen. These really only need heating up which you can do in either in a microwave or on the stovetop. I usually rinse the frozen pods under cold water in a colander for a second, then toss them into pot with a tablespoon or two of water and let them steam covered for about two minutes until they are hot, then serve, sprinkling on a bit of freshly ground pink salt when serving them.
TJ’s frozen edamame in pods make a delicious and healthy appetizer, snack, or side, or ingredient. Everybody seems to love edamame, young or old, and maybe especially kids? Because these are an accepted way to play with your food! Gotta eat with your hands.
Soybeans are just full of protein of course. Just a 1/2 cup have 8 grams Protein not to mention fiber. So Good Eats! Trader Joe’s frozen edamame are terrific to buy ($1.99) $2.29. Equal to way more expensive frozen edamame you might find in a Japanese or Asian market where they might double the price. I love having these in the freezer at all times for whenever the edamame mood strikes. Actually I buy both versions of at TJ’s, shelled and these unshelled ones in the pod. Shelled soybeans are great for an ingredient. I use those the same way I might use or add frozen peas. They are terrific on top of rice of course with a little butter.
Remember to put an empty bowl on the table for the empty pods!
Chefs and pro cooks love these as its the purest, most natural form of vanilla. “Bourbon Vanilla” is considered the best vanilla, from Southeast Asia. I did check the label but assume these may be from Madagascar.
Pro cooks scrape out the tiny seeds inside these pods with a knife and use that in recipes that call for vanilla. Don’t throw out the pod after using either as they still have lots of aroma. You can put the pods into a large jar and and cover them with about a pound of sugar. Let that sit for a few days or more as the vanilla beans infuse the sugar so it becomes yummy Vanilla Sugar.
$2.99 for two vanilla beans
In addition to these Trader Joe’s has lots of other vanilla products like BOURBON VANILLA BEAN PASTE and they are all on the shelves now for the FALL/WINTER baking season.
Of course that old phrase “a cup of Java” immediately came to mind when I saw this name Java of The Gods.
Here’s a new Small Lot coffee at Trader Joe’s (Sep ’24) which I have to say for me at least is a BIG HIT. I give this one a very big thumbs up. If that name alone – JAVA OF THE GODS – doesn’t get your attention, just wait till you open up the bag and take a whiff. Its smells INTENSE. When I took a deep whiff, instantly my brain reacted with something like, “Yeah Baby!” This smells like COFFEE with a capital C. I seems more than worthy of the name “Java of the Gods“. If you like a dark roast, you should try this. It is heavenly.
“Dark Roast”. Do you see the sheen on the beans? Maybe you could call this “French Roast” as PORTO RICO IMPORTS – a place I used to buy beans from place – refers to the roast just before Espresso?
Porto Rico describef a French Roast like this : “The beans are deep brown and have developed a glossy coating, the result of the coffee oils being forced to the surface by the roasting process. The flavor of these coffees tends to be more developed then the lighter roasts. They will be strong with a deadly aroma. Also known as a continental roast, and Spanish roast.”
A DEADLY AROMA! Perfect. Grind up these beans and your kitchen will smell like Porto Rico’s store… I promise you will get an intense deadly aroma, with yes, as described right on the bag with notes of “Caramel, Nutty, Cocoa”.
I brewed up the ground coffee using a Moka pot. I even get a bit of crema done that way with this coffee. I would think these would work especially well in a true espresso machine. But even French Press or a pour over too. Any brew method should work as well. My brewed coffee was lovely. A rounded dark delicious cup of Java. I made a cappuccino with it, which is what I usually make in the morning. Naturally a dark coffee like this one is great for coffee drinks made with milk (cafe con leche, latte, cafe au lait….) as it will stand up to the milk.
I have a mental top 10 list of a few coffees at Trader Joe’s. This Java of the Gods got added to my list. This is a lovely coffee for anyone who can appreciate a dark roast. If that’s you, this small lot one is well worth a try
So we have another excellent SMALL LOT COFFE at a fairly reasonable price. Personally I will get a few bags next time I go while its still available, as TJ’s Small Lot coffees are Limited Editions and are around for a few months usually.
“The mild, slightly briny flavor and tender, meaty texture of Trader Joe’s Calamari Pieces in Olive Oil should win over even the most ‘tin-ative’ tasters; especially when incorporated into a charcuterie board with toasted Organic Baguette slices, Mini Heirloom Tomatoes, Colossal Garlic -Stuffed Olives, and fresh lemon wedges. And these Calamari also score a definite tinned-fish win when added to a bowl of Spanish Rice, or to a batch of prepared Linguine with Pesto & Tomatoes.”
Are you Tinned Fish aficionado? If so try this new product Trader Joe’s just introduced which could be interesting to all of those into exploring canned/tinned sardines and other fish, as this is a current popular craze that has really caught on big time via social media. This CALAMARI is a good addition to your tinned fish options.
Trader Joe’s newest addition to their line of canned seafood is: “Calamari Pieces in Olive Oil”. (calamari aka “jumbo squid). This is a Product Of Spain where fishermen catch the squid in the traditional manner, jigged/line caught. The squid is cleaned and the tentacles are cooked in olive oil and canned. When I opened up a can I thought the small pieces of the calamari (tentacles only) looked appealing. Nothing too scary.
The squid had a nice briny taste and was both tender and slightly chewy at the same time. Its good as-is out of the can however this was certainly improved with a squeeze of lemon and a few grinds of black pepper, so I say those are a must with this.
You could enjoy this as right out of the can as an appetizer with perhaps some toasted baguette or other good bread, or on some crackers. Or you might use this in a dish, for example to make a rice dish. You could make an easy Japanese style rice bowl – just top a bowl of warm rice with some of this squid and the juice. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of soy sauce.
I could easily envision using a can of this to make something like a “linguine with clam sauce” type of pasta just using this calamari instead of clams. Add lots of garlic, parsley, lemon, white wine and olive oil, either just like that or perhaps with a tomato sauce. Or using this in perhaps a Paella type of rice dish…
Use your imagination with this Calamari in Olive Oil! Let us know in the comments what you come up with.
$3.99
I would buy this again.
“The large tentacles of the captured Calamari are cleaned & cooked just enough to yield a firm, yet tender texture. They’re cut into 1.5-centimeter chunks and packed with extra virgin olive oil & salt.”
Read more about this on Trader Joe’s website here:
My recommendation? Don’t buy the version of these noodles which are in the red package. Get this one (black package) they came out with later, as it has a way better sauce (“Spicy Garlic and Sesame”)!
They came out with an improved sauce flavor of the popular SQUIGGLY KNIFE CUT NOODLES – this one with “spicy garlic sesame” sauce, as opposed to the the original one’s packet of “soy and sesame” sauce (which I found so crappy I suggest you not use it and make your own sauce)
This one comes with the sauce in 2 packets, one being the sesame sauce in a separate packet.
“It would be difficult to overstate just how delicious a plate of mango sticky rice can be.”
Trader Joe’s starts off their description of this new snack with that. I have to agree with that as if you ever had that amazing classic Thai dessert of Mango Sticky Rice, you instantly fall in love with it.
The flavors in this new crispy snack reminds one of that classic dessert, now compressed into a a small bite size crunchy snack. These are made with most of the same ingredients one finds in the classic dish, sticky rice, mango and coconut milk. Of course here the stuff has been baked into a very crunchy slightly sticky treat.
“Made for us by an expert supplier Thailand, Trader Joe’s Mango Sticky Rice Crisps are made with a mix of sticky rice, coconut milk, sweetened dried mango, mango syrup, and sesame seeds. Each bite evokes the tropical sweetness, bright fruity flavors, and faint, toasty nuttiness of this classic, Southeast Asian sweet treat, while adding the textural twist of overt crunchiness into the mix.”
All I can tell you the bag went pretty fast in our house.
“...an unexpected delicacy. Upon tasting it, we were enchanted by the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and the smooth, almost squash-like eggplant flavor that came to life amidst the bright, savory-sweetness of the tomatoes and onions. Our tasting panel was taken by surprise—these wondrous, not-at-all-bitter eggplants really came from a can? Really? Really.”
Ingredients: Fried Eggplant, Tomatoes, Onions, Salt, Parsley, Sugar, Garlic, Red Pepper, Black Pepper (natural sounding stuff)
HOT SUMMER – Now I don’t know about you during mutiple heat wave this summer but I’ve been racking my brains trying to come up with really easy things we can eat for dinner. Things that make for as little use of the kitchen as possible. Many days this summer you didnt even want to think of turning on the stove and cooking. You just want EASY. Right?
So if I can buy something at Trader Joe’s that is decent and all I have to do is open up a package…. And it’s actually tasty, as I’m concerned, that’s terrific in my book. This eggplant dish is one of those kinds of items. It’s surprisingly good.
Yes, I am a cook/foodie so maybe I will fix it up a bit. Add a sprinkle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice. I wanted more garlic in this, so I smashed up a clove of garlic and added it in and it did improve it but even just out of the can, doing nothing really, still this eggplant dish is good and very tasty.
A can of this eggplant dish is super convenient to have on hand in your pantry. Along with some other Mediterranean food in cans from TJ’s which I also like (for example, the DOLMAS STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES & GIANT BEANS IN TOMATO SAUCE)
The eggplant dish is rich and smooth, with the eggplant falling apart and is well matched by tomato and onion also melted into the mix. Its not terribly far from a Ratatouille – which you could turn it into by adding some cooked zucchini and garlic. The Trader Joe’s description in this case is so right on I’m quoting what they say….
“…Our tasting panel was taken by surprise—these wondrous, not-at-all-bitter eggplants really came from a can? Really? Really. The Grecian Style Eggplant with Tomatoes & Onions is made for us in Bulgaria, where the eggplant is grown, by our famed Greek Dolmas producers. (They have a production facility in that Southeastern European country, so the eggplant can be cooked immediately upon harvest from the fields.) Whole, long, narrow eggplants—harvested at the height of the season—are split in half lengthwise and stewed in a rich, flavorful “sauce” of tomatoes and onions. Seasoned with parsley, garlic, red pepper and curry powder, and canned with soy oil, the gently- flavored, purple fruits of the nightshade family blossom with seductive Mediterranean essence.”
You can serve this as-is at room temperature with some good bread or crackers or flat bread/naan. Or warm it up if you like. Either way I would suggest giving it a little drizzle of good EVOO, maybe crushed garlic and chopped parsley. All of which will improve it even more, and then you could tell people you made it. Shhh… that it even came out of a can will be our secret!
I had about half of the can left over for another meal. Believe it or not the next night we were going to eat some Indian food. I wondered if I could mix it into some CHANNA MASALA? Guess what? The two worked surprisingly well turning it into eggplant and chick peas with Indian flavors which we enjoyed with Naan and Basmati Rice. So this could become other things…. Mix even with pasta and Feta cheese? Let us know if you have ideas to share.
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