Dim sum is a classic Chinese meal where small plates of dumplings and snacks are served alongside tea. It’s similar to how the Spanish enjoy tapas, with dishes shared among family and friends. Typically, dim sum is enjoyed during brunch hours, which is late morning to lunchtime.
The Origins of Dim Sum
Originally, dim sum dishes hailed from southern China’s Guangdong region before spreading globally. Cantonese dim sum culture emerged in tearooms during the 19th century in Guangzhou, after the ban on opium dens. Travelers along the Silk Road would stop at tea houses for a dim sum break, helping spread its popularity, particularly in Hong Kong.
Etiquette and Ordering
Choosing tea is the first step, as it’s a key part of the meal’s tradition. In traditional etiquette, the person closest to the teapot pours tea for guests before themselves. To signal for a refill, simply remove the lid from the teapot and place it aside.
Ordering dim sum is a unique experience. At traditional restaurants, carts filled with dumplings and fried foods are wheeled around. Diners flag down carts with dishes they desire, and waiters mark their table’s menu card accordingly. Nowadays, many modern dim sum places use checklist-style menus, where guests mark their selections and hand them to servers.
Delicious Dim Sum Choices
When it comes to ordering dim sum, there’s a wide array of dishes to choose from. These dishes feature seafood, meat, and vegetables, prepared in different ways like steaming, frying, or baking. Here are some popular options to help you decide:
- Shumai (siu mai, shao mai): These are thin, cup-shaped wrappers filled with a mixture of pork, shrimp, or both, along with vegetables like bamboo shoots and mushrooms.
- Shrimp dumplings (har gow, xia jiao): A favorite among dim sum enthusiasts, these dumplings contain chunks of shrimp wrapped in a translucent dumpling wrapper and served in a bamboo steamer.
- Soup dumplings (xiaolong bao): These delicate dumplings are filled with hot broth and pork, originating from Shanghai and now enjoyed nationwide.
- BBQ pork buns (charsiu bao, chashao bao): Soft, fluffy buns filled with sticky and sweet barbecue-seasoned pork, served in a bamboo steamer.
- Chicken feet (tau zi fung zao, chizhi feng zhao): Whole chicken feet, fried and braised in a sweet fermented black bean sauce until tender.
- Rice noodle rolls (cheong fun, changfen): Large, thin steamed rice noodles wrapped around a shrimp, meat, or crispy non-meat filling.
- Egg tart (dan tat, dan ta): Sweet custard-filled flaky pastry tartlets originating from Macau.