The Spanish have their tapas, the Mediterraneans their mezze and the Chinese have dim sum.
These very sociable, bite-sized delicacies were originally snacks that would only “touch your heart”, the literal translation of “dim sum”.
Served in teahouses between breakfast and lunch, they are now served all day long and often form the main meal or a starter. You even get dessert dim sum, such as the famous egg tart.
It’s a very sociable and fun food, great for parties or group dinners as you can prepare a variety with different fillings and guests can have a taste of them all.
The classic Cantonese snacks can be steamed, fried, boiled and baked. They are often served in wooden steam baskets or on small plates.
Dim sum are quite labour intensive to prepare but well worth the effort.
I invited my friend Honey Ho Tim, who is an experienced cook, to help me make up a batch or two.
After a few hours in the kitchen we had prepared a feast of these delectable morsels.
It was definitely a case of “many hands make light work”.
Here is a guide to the terms we use here:
* Pot sticker: A pan-fried and steamed dumpling with a mince or vegetable filling. Named for its ability to cling to the side of your plate.
* Shumai: A pork dumpling
* Wonton: Savoury fillings contained in wrappers and usually eaten boiled in soup.
PORK AND CABBAGE SHUMAI
Makes 24-30
3 dried Chinese or Shiitake mushrooms
125ml chopped spring onion
15ml grated ginger
250g pork mince
15ml oyster sauce
5ml Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
5ml sesame oil
5ml salt
250ml shredded cabbage, wilted down in a little oil
gyoza wrappers (or wonton wrappers cut into circles).
Soften the mushrooms by soaking in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess water.
Cut off the stems. Chop finely. Combine the mushrooms, spring onion, ginger and pork. Stir in the seasonings and lastly the cabbage. Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly.
Lay a wrapper in front of you. Wet the edges. Put teaspoons of filling in the middle, taking care not to get too close to the edges.
Gather up the edges of the wrapper and gently pleat so that it forms a basket shape, with the top of the filling exposed.
Steam over boiling water until the filling is cooked through about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.
PORK SWALLOWS
Makes 24-30
So called because once fried they look like flying swallows
400g pork mince
20ml grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 bunch spring onions, white part only finely chopped
15ml rice vinegar
10ml salt
15ml sesame oil
25ml corn flour
wonton wrappers
oil for frying
Place the mince, ginger, garlic and chilli into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and add rest of ingredients except wrappers. Mix well.
Place a wrapper on a work surface and put about 10ml of filling in the centre. Brush outer edges with water and fold corners to the centre to form an envelope shape. Press to secure. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel.
CHICKEN AND PRAWN WONTON SOUP
Serves 6-8
250g chicken breast fillets, cubed
125g prawn meat
1 bunch og spring onion, white part only finely chopped
15ml grated ginger
6 water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
15ml dry sherry
5ml salt
5ml castor sugar
10ml sesame oil
15ml oyster sauce
15ml soy sauce
wonton wrappers
Soup
1.5 litres chicken stock
1 carrot sliced
1 stalk of celery, sliced
150g baby spinach
Put the chicken and prawns in a food processor and process until minced. Transfer to a bowl and add in the remaining ingredients,. Mix well.
Place a wrapper diagonally on the work surface and place approximately 5ml filling at the base of a wrapper.
Roll the edge over the filling and roll halfway to enclose the filling.
Bring the two edges together, twist and pinch to seal, leaving the one end looking like a bishop’s hat. It will look similar to a tortellini.
Bring a large pot of chicken stock to the boil and add the carrots and celery. Add the dumplings and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Add the spinach and as soon as it wilts, serve the soup.
POT STICKERS
Makes 24
Dough
500ml flour
About 250ml boiling water to mix
Filling
400g pork mince
15ml chopped ginger
125ml chopped Chinese chives
60ml chopped coriander
100g bamboo shoots, drained and chopped
5ml salt
15ml sesame oil
15ml soy sauce
250ml water
DOUGH: In a bowl, mix the flour and boiling water until a soft dough forms. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. Put it back in the bowl, cover with a clean damp towel and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a sausage, and cut into 2cm slices.
Roll each piece of dough into a circle and place a spoonful of pork mixture in the centre. Lift up the edges of the circle and pleat around the edge, pinching with fingers to seal well. Dumpling should look like a small Cornish pasty with a flat base and rounded top.
Transfer each finished dumpling to a floured tray and keep covered until you have stuffed all the dumplings in this way.
Heat a non-stick pan until hot. Add 15ml vegetable oil. Place 12 dumplings in a single layer in the pan and fry for 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Add half the water. Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Repeat with the remaining dumplings.
FILLING: Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
STEAMED BUNS
Makes 16-18
Dough
375ml flour
15ml baking powder
30ml castor sugar
a pinch of salt
45ml peanut oil
80ml milk
flour for dusting
Filling
250g pork fillet
30ml soy sauce
30ml hoisin sauce
60ml honey
30ml dry sherry
15ml chopped garlic
15ml chopped ginger
DOUGH: Sift flour, baking powder, castor sugar and salt into a bowl. Add oil and enough milk to make a stiff dough.
Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead well until smooth and elastic. Put in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel for 1 hour.
FILLING: Place the pork into an ovenproof casserole dish.
Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the pork for 30 minutes. Then bake at 180°C for 20 minutes until cooked.
Remove the pork pieces and chop into small cubes.
Return the pork to the marinade in the casserole dish. Cover and cool.
TO MAKE: Break off a small ball of the dough and press into a 6cm circle. Holding it in the palm of your hand, add a spoonful of filling and gather up the dough to enclose the filling and form a seal.
Place each bun on a square of non-stick baking paper, with join at the bottom, and place in a steamer basket.
Place basket over boiling water in a wok or large pot and steam for 15 minutes.
Remove and serve. - The Star