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Take time out for a Cantonese snack | |
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Inever met a Chinese dish I didn’t like — well, perhaps I’m not that fond of turtle-blood jelly — but if I could choose only one kind of Chinese food to eat for the rest of my life, it would almost certainly be dim sum. Literally translated as “dot heart” in Cantonese, dim sum really means “heart’s delight,” referring to not one single recipe but rather a range of mouth-watering treats. Most are bite-size morsels with a tasty filling of meat, vegetables and luscious seasonings, wrapped in a casing of wheat- or rice-flour dough, wonton skins or other exotic ingredients. They can be steamed, fried or baked and are usually served with salty, spicy or tangy dipping sauces. It’s easy to tell if you’re eating dim sum in an authentic Cantonese-style setting. If it’s crowded and confused, small children are frolicking underfoot with remarkably little parental supervision, the clatter and clanging of plates and pots accompanies a steady hubbub of chatting and laughter, and waiters are rushing back and forth with large trolleys stacked with dim sum, you’ve found the real thing. It is possible to order dim sum from elegantly printed menus in hushed surroundings, but however good the food may be, you won’t be having the complete dim sum experience.  | Carol Walker | |
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Typically, dim sum is served with tea on small plates or in bamboo steamers, three or four pieces at a time. Waiters zip through the restaurant, stopping at every table for patrons to inspect their wares; if you see something you like, just point and it will be put on your table, ideally onto a lazy susan so that you can spin the dish past your companions, deciding what to eat next as the plates rotate. Many dim sum dishes have stories behind them. One of the most famous deals with crunchy fried crescents called ‘pot stickers.’ The tale says that an elderly chef in a royal Chinese household left his dumplings on the fire for too long, and was horrified to see that they had begun to burn. To save the chef’s job, his son offered to take the dish to the emperor. When the emperor demanded to know what was wrong with his food, the quick-witted son told him this was an innovative dish intentionally made a bit brown and crunchy. The emperor tasted the new treat and heartily approved. In areas with both Muslim and Chinese populations such as Jakarta, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, it is often possible to find halal Chinese restaurants. Otherwise, ask your server for pork-free options, such as steamed chicken buns, vegetarian dishes, egg tarts, shrimp dishes and more. tt |
