The Best Dim Sum Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What not to do in dim sum? ›

Always move an item from the communal dish to your own before eating using a serving utensil or the top ends of your chopsticks. Do not eat directly from the steamer basket or shared plate. Dim sum is for sharing! Never lay claim to any one dish.

For making Chinese dim sum all purpose flour or rice flour or tapioca flour along with potato starch is used.

A white wine with good acidity and a notable freshness will respect the flavours and textures of the dim sum. A wine with a nice minerality is also to be preferred. Indeed, in order not to mask, but to accompany the iodized notes of the seafood, an appellation known for its minerality is appropriate.

Popular fillings include: beef, dough fritter, shrimp and barbecued pork. Often served with sweetened soy sauce. steamed rice noodles rolled around youjagwai (油炸鬼), typically doused in soy sauce, hoisin sauce, or sesame paste, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Duck feet wrapped in bean curd sheets.

Many dim sum dishes are calorie dense, and high in fat and sodium, which could be contributors to increased risk of heart disease. That said, some dim sum dishes have hidden calories, fat and sodium, which may not be easily noticed.

Choose Veggie-filled Varieties: Opt for dim sum filled with vegetables or lean proteins like seafood or chicken. Watch the Sodium: Some Dim Sum can be high in sodium, especially those with soy-based sauces. Be mindful of your intake if you're watching your sodium levels.

From-scratch dumpling dough requires only two ingredients — flour and water — and the water temperature yields different types of wrappers. Cold water is best for boiled dumplings because it causes the flour's proteins to form the gluten that makes dough chewy and able to withstand vigorously boiling water.

Unbleached flour produces terrific flavor, but bleached flour imparts a brighter finish that some Asian cooks like. Chinese black vinegar is available at most Asian markets.

The most popular types of dim sum range from dumplings, buns, wraps and noodle rolls (often filled with a mixture of fresh seafood, meat and vegetables) to puffs, tarts and puddings.

As with all restaurant food it depends on the choices you make. A lot of dim sum offerings are steamed so they aren't bad. If you choose all deep fried stuff you have an unhealthy meal. If you pick vegetables and steamed dumplings you can make a healthy meal.

What is the most popular dimsum? ›

1 HAR GOW – XIĀ JIǍO – 虾饺 – SHRIMP DUMPLINGS

The KING of dim sum, the har gao, is the benchmark of any dim sum restaurant in Southern China. Stuffed plump with springy shrimp, pork fat, and bamboo shoots, and wrapped with a delicate rice flour wrapper, these are the ICONIC dish of any dim sum meal.

Start with small bites

Dim sum is not meant to be eaten in one bite; it's not sushi. The flavors are best enjoyed when eaten slowly. More complex dim sum such as Xiao long has to be eaten carefully. Allow the soup to cool down before taking a bite.

First, pick a tea, as it will be a central part of the meal — dim sum did originate in tea houses after all. If you want to follow traditional etiquette, the person closest to the teapot should pour tea for guests first before pouring his or her own cup.

A 'Dim Sim' is traditionally made with pork and cabbage wrapped in a delicate pastry skin. It is lightly seasoned and delivers a delicious meaty texture with each bite. 'Dim Sum' is an umbrella term and refers to a whole range of small dishes and parcels served at Yum Cha.

Dim sum is so unique because there are many varieties of special Chinese dishes, served in small portions for all to share. The best part is that I don't have to order from the menu because carts full of cooked, ready to eat dishes will be pushed right to my table. I can pick whatever I like from the cart.

Dim sum is not meant to be eaten in one bite; it's not sushi. The flavors are best enjoyed when eaten slowly. More complex dim sum such as Xiao long has to be eaten carefully. Allow the soup to cool down before taking a bite.

A standard 15 to 20 percent tip is customary; in most restaurants, tips are shared among waitstaff, including those pushing the carts. Don't: Fill up on rice. In fact, feel free to skip the rice altogether. Contrary to popular belief, Chinese don't eat rice at every meal.

Dim sum can be sweet or savoury and may be served hot or cold. They can be steamed, baked or fried. Sometimes they are small sandwiches, sometimes dumplings, wraps, spring rolls, or even mini tarts or puddings.

Chinese restaurants typically serve dumplings with a large soup spoon, signaling to diners that this is what they should use to eat the dumpling . However, the diner still needs to get the dumpling onto the spoon. He or she can accomplish this by using a pair of chopsticks and picking it up closest to the knot.