Dim Sum

Though Cantonese didn't invent the dim sum, it is Cantonese who made dim sum known to the world (the word dim sum actually roots in Cantonese). In Canton, it has been a local tradition to go to a nearby teahouse with the whole family in the morning, leisurely enjoying tea with morsels of these little delicacies. Having introduced this culture worldwide, Cantonese people have a special attachment to these little foods, so that it has formed a routine to end even a formal banquet with touches of some fine dim sum. If you go to Canton, you will probably be amazed at the great variety of dim sum there. So many of them, and you may take several visits to find out your favorites.

Dianxin, Chinese for dim sum, originally meant "consuming a little". It began to prevail in 1920s. At that time descendants of wealthy families left by the Qing Dynasty lived easily on their heritage. Without need to work, they haunted epicurean places. Teahouses and restaurants were thus becoming more like mushrooms. Because of competition, the houses all pushed out new types of pastry and rice food to fill out the already rich dim sum repertory. Certain standards for ingredients of fillings also appeared then. Take example for the steamed shrimp dumpling, the fillings were composed of 30% fresh shrimp, 20% cooked shrimp, 25% pig's fat in the granular form, and 25% shredded bamboo sprout. The fillings were rolled in the wrapper and steamed. The best dumplings were served once the steaming was finished. The wrapper for the steamed dumpling is so thin now that it looks almost transparent when prepared.

Besides Canton, there are other regions famous for their dim sum, including Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, Chengdu, Ningbo, Tianjian, and on and on. The different branches borrow merits from each other while highlighting their own features. The flavors are varied. The makings are becoming sophisticated. All these mean many a choice. In some places, dim sum may be hybrid of the eastern and the western and you may like to believe you were at home feeling a sort of Chinese way.