Dim Sum is believed to have its roots in the early times of Chinese culture of tea tasting, known as “yum cha”. As per records, the travelers along the ancient Silk Road would stop in places to rest and in order to cater to their resting needs, small teahouses came into existence. Though, initially it was not considered appropriate to combine food with tea, as the local people believed that this would lead to weight gain, soon this changed, as they realized that tea helped in the digestion of food. Thus serving dim sum with tea started and this continues till date. Today, dim sum is part of all Chinese households and it is also sold at various “take-away” outlets for students and office goers. This dish has gained popularity across the world and many varieties are now served as a snack as well as main course dishes.
Types of Dim Sum Dishes
Bun-
Cha Siu Baau – This is a traditional bun that is available in two varieties – steamed and baked. While the steamed one has a white exterior, the baked variety is brown and crispy. The filling of this dim sum is barbecued pork.
Dumpling -
Chinese Pan-fried Dumplings – These go through two stages of preparation. First the dumplings are deep-fried and then they are boiled, which gives them a soft exterior but a crispy interior. This kind of cooking helps to keep the juices within. The filling usually comprises pork, bok choy, Napa cabbage, green onion and other traditional seasoning ingredients.
Wonton -
Chicken Wonton – This is a deep-fried dim sum that has a spiced and seasoned chicken filling. It comes in triangle shape and is usually served with sweet & sour sauce.
Cake -
Chinese Sponge Cake – This is made with the same ingredients as the regular baked sponge cake, but it is steamed; because of which it is very soft. It is usually served with strawberries of fresh fruits of choice.
Grilled -
Chicken Wings – This is a barbecued snack that is made with chicken wings. The wings are marinated (with a mixture of hoisin sauce, honey, salt, pepper, scallion, garlic, ginger and water) and then barbecued.
Rolls -
Cantonese Spring Rolls – These delicious rolls are made by deep-frying. The key filling ingredients are shredded pork, shrimp, garlic chives and black mushrooms. However, the filling ingredients can vary.
Dim Sum Recipe Variations
Dim Sum is a popular food that has a few variations in other parts of the world. Detailed here is one such variation –
Dim Sim – This is the Australian version of the snack. It is a large meat dumpling that is made of pork or any other meat and combined with cabbage and various flavorings. This meat mixture is wrapped like a traditional shumai dumpling and is either steamed or deep fried, as desired. This dumpling is also barbecued. It is sold at most Asian takeaway outlets in this country.
Serving Instructions
Dim sum is served in some unique ways. Small steamer baskets are generally used for serving this dish; however, if it is in a restaurant, the cooked dish is placed on steam carts and pushed around by servers and taken to individual tables.
Trivia