Eat Dim Sums in Hong Kong

In ancient Chinese custom, it was considered inappropriate to mix tea with food. Once, a famous 3rd-century Imperial physician claimed that this would lead to excessive weight gain. As they found out that tea has the ability to aid in digestion and cleanse the palate, tea house proprietors began adding a variety of snacks, and the tradition of  Dim sum was born.

There are also snack-sized portions of pan-fried, deep-fried, and baked foods served in bamboo containers, which are designed to be eaten communally and washed down with tea. Therefore going for  Dim sum is sometimes referred to as yum cha, which means drinking tea, and together completes a full tea brunch. When it comes to snacking in Hong Kong, Dim sums are the first thing that comes in mind.

Still, it took several centuries for the culinary art of Dim sum to develop. Today,  Dim sum is served throughout China. But, the best  chefs for this snack are found not in China, but in Hong Kong. These days, this snack  itself is a main player on the culinary stage.

The diversity and a sheer number of Hong Kong Dim sum restaurants are stunning. From noisy Cantonese joints with madness in the air to hushed dining rooms where waiters anticipate your every move. Today, most restaurants have dispensed with the cart system. Instead, when you are first seated the waitress will hand you a menu and you use a pencil to mark off, which items you want and the number of orders.

What to order-

Deep-fried shrimp dumpling:

It’s made with shrimp, sometimes with pork fat, wrapped in dough and deep fried. Crispy exterior, juicy filling! Perfect Ecstasy.

Barbecued pork bun:

These are tender, sweet, slow-roasted pork tenderloin, usually seasoned with oyster sauce, and encased in a fine, soft bun. A must have when in Hong Kong.

Steamed shrimp dumpling:

Shrimp wrapped in a thinly rolled piece of translucent wheat dough. Often, the dumpling will include a small amount of finely chopped bamboo shoots and pork.

Siu Mai:

A type of Chinese dumpling. The typical Cantonese Dim sum which has a lot of variety consisting of ground pork, shiitake mushrooms, green onions and ginger, wrapped in thin wheat dough, seasoned with Chinese rice wine, soy sauce, and garnished with a dollop of crab roe.

Spring rolls:

It is a variety of vegetables and sometimes meat ingredients which are rolled inside a sheet of thin dough and deep fried.

Cheung fan:

A thin roll of rice flour, filled with shrimp, beef, sweet barbecued pork or other ingredients. It is usually steamed and served with soy sauce.