Dim Sum Varieties A Balanced Chinese Meal

Dim Sum is Chinese cuisine made up of light dishes in small portions, usually served from late morning till afternoon, alongside Chinese tea.

‘Dim sum’ translates from Cantonese as ‘a touch of heart’, or ‘order to your heart’s content’ as ‘dim’ has multiple meanings. It is Chinese cuisine only served at brunch time. Dim sum dishes comprise of three or four bite-sized portions of one item. Traditionally, dim sum dishes are offered on trolleys pushed by waiters around the restaurant. Customers choose the dishes from each trolley. The waiter ticks the items off a list on your table, to be totalled afterwards. As each trolley has specific types of dim sum, it is easier if you know what to order by looking at the categories below.

Congee, or ‘Jook’

Perhaps the only full meal in itself in dim sum is the congee dish. Known as rice porridge in some cultures, congee is thick rice gruel that is substantial yet easy to digest. Warm and bland, it hides treasures within, such as preserved century egg, salted pork, duck eggs or other types of meat and chopped vegetables. It is topped with fried dough (‘youtiao’), which gives it a nice wholesome edge.

Here’s a tip: as congee fills you quickly, count it as two dishes instead of one.

Steamed Dim Sum

Novices often go for easy fried options but these are not the main dim sum attractions. Two most common steamed dim sum dishes are ‘ha kao’ and ‘siu mai’. ‘Ha kao’ are prawn dumplings and ‘siu mai’ is made of pork and prawn, with an orange dot at its centre. Many dim sum dishes use shrimp and pork as they make a light juicy combination that also fills you.

‘Char siew’ buns are a perennial favourite – how many times have you seen a Jackie Chan martial arts film where buns are served? ‘Char siew’ is sweet roast pork, with its distinctive red strip. It has a barbeque flavour and are found in boiled buns, with fluffy thick white skins. These can quickly fill you up! Check the size of buns offered at the restaurant before ordering, so you can pace yourself. Peel away the paper stuck to the bottom of the ‘bao’ before eating it.

Restaurants these days offer Shanghai style buns, known as ‘xiao long bao’ (small dragon buns). Don’t be fooled, these are not like char siew buns. Resembling dumplings, they have thin translucent skins with meat and vegetable fillings inside. They look deceivingly small but are actually substantial.

Cheung Fun (or ‘Chee Cheong Fun’)

This means pig intestines with flour, but don’t let that name put you off. In fact ‘cheung fun’ are thick rice rolls like spring rolls. They are steamed, sit in light sauce and come in any choice of filling, choose from roast pork, shrimp, scallops or beef. Another staple of a dim sum meal that is light and not cloying.

Cold or Sweet Dim Sum

Egg tarts (‘dan ta’ in Mandarin) are highly popular. They are unlike the Western custard tart, which is cold, bigger in size and has a nutmeg topping. Dim sum egg tarts are smaller, served warm and have a flaky pastry texture. They are a great favourite with families, who order lots and enjoy them throughout the meal. Unlike Western desserts served at the end of a meal, egg tarts can be eaten simultaneously with other dim sum dishes.

Other sweet dim sum dishes include mango custard or creamy tofu. There are also regular Chinese desserts such as sago pudding.

Fried or Grilled Dim Sum

Finally, the fried dim sum section. Most of these belong to the usual dinner menu – spring rolls, deep fried squid or octopus. Be different and try the deep-fried yam croquette, for an exotic paste of yam flavour within a nest-like shell. Those with a bigger appetite may like the turnip cake, as this really fills you up. ‘Guo tie’, or pan-fried dumplings, now found in other cuisines, make a delicious fried option that is not too heavy.

Dim sum is sometimes known as ‘yam cha’ (‘eating tea’), as drinking Chinese tea is good with dim sum. A Chinese way of eating, dim sum dishes are shared with friends and family. Three or four people make the perfect number, as dish has three or four portions, but order according to the number of your party. Understand different types of dim sum and order the right amount, so that when you are ready for the bill (‘mai dan’) you are also satisfyingly full.