Making Dim Sum at Home

[Big Bunny]

Re: turnip cake

Rhoda Yee gives an excellent recipe in her dim sum book.

She insists on Swan's Down(sp?) cake flour.

This recipe always works for me (and company.)

You can easily substitute sausage for the roast pork.

BB

[ludja]

Re: turnip cake

Rhoda Yee gives an excellent recipe in her dim sum book.

She insists on Swan's Down(sp?) cake flour.

This recipe always works for me (and company.)

You can easily substitute sausage for the roast pork.

BB

Thank you very much! Now don't have to limit myself to having this during dim sum visits...

[jo-mel]

May I come to your party?? LOL!

I'm new here, too, and I fully understand about finding this goldmine! Going over all the old threads is like being a kid in a candy store!

If you can get the You Tiao, they would be great with congee. Cut into little pieces, along with peanuts and slivered Sichuan pickle, and I would be in comfort food heaven. An easy light , light soup would be Chicken & Watercress, but as someone pointed out, it is not a soup you would see.

When I've done a Dim Sum meal, I've sometimes gone off the track and served Brownies laced with fresh orange/ tangerine peel and crystallized ginger. It is offered with a bowl of canned Chinese fruits - longan, loquat, lychee, mandarin oranges, pineapple, etc, and some fresh strawberries.

My must, when I do Dim Sum are Pot Sticker done Hugh Carpenter' style --- (Santa Barbara) Rather than add water to the fried dumplings, a mix of chicken broth, grated orange, some hoisin, oyster, and soy sauce is added. The end result is really tasty, and no need for a dip. (But this is just me ----- your selections are already great.)

About tea --- Whatever suits you. Dragon Well is good, as well as Jasmine. I like Ti Kuan Yin (Te Guan Yin) and I have been served Pu-Er.

[cwyc]

What about cheung fun or in English, rice rolls stuffed with shrimp, pork or beef? Alternatively, cheung fun can be "vegetarian" with green onions dried shrimp. To me the corner stone of dim sum dining must include har gow and the cheung fun, my two favourites.

Your meal sounds great so far. I would even suggest maybe egg drop soup if you want to go for something lighter than congee. But then again, congee is a favourite of dim sum dining.

For dessert, I like Gary's suggestion of egg tarts. You can make mini ones. I was at a fine dim sum establishment a few weeks ago, where they incorporated the idea of a "bird's nest" on the egg tart. They put small dollops of clear agar jelly atop the tart (in which they used a more custardy filling). The texture was an interesting addition to the old stand-by egg tart. We also had deep fried sesame balls. And they put a fusion twist on it by augmenting it with a chocolate dipping sauce. Very innovative.

But if you are looking for a nice, light, refreshing dessert I would suggest tofu flower with fruit.

If you get really ambitious, you can make individual lotus leaf packets of chicken and rice.

The possibilities are endless.

[Dejah]

Turnip cake is another one of my specialties, as with woo to cake (taro).

I use rice flour (NOT glutinous) in my mixture, with lap chung, mushrooms and dried shrimp. The woo kok is difficult to make, I think. I do have recipes, but Mom said they can disintergrate in the deep fryer quite easily

I am an ESL teacher at our university, (in Brandon, Manitoba, prasantrin),

and my Chinese students really appreciate these cakes:)

I'll have to check the store for nice crisp watercress...otherwise I will serve the

congee with you tiao. I love eating those just by themselves!

I have made potstickers with chicken and lots of slivered ginger. The addition of chicken stock. etc,sounds good, so I will try that for another party. In fact, there are so many good suggestions here I will HAVE to have another party:) Maybe I'll invite the students up after Xmas. They all want to learn how to make dim sum...so no work, no eat!

Definitely, jo-mel et al, if you are close enough to Brandon, you are welcome to come "yum cha" with the gang. I have 96 sui mai, 60 har gow, 36 bao, 25 curry, 32 sticky rice and about 200 beef balls so far. I have frozen all these as I made them. Tomorrow, I will steam them as I pull them from the freezer. The curry will be baked.

The almond jelly is a substitute for tofu fa. That was ok when we couldn't have the dessert tofu that is now so available. I have made it, with milk, gelatine and almond flavoring.

You know what I miss?? Stinky tofu! Maybe I won't be able to handle it now...after being away from HK for 45 years My older brother used to chase the vendor away when he smelled it coming!

[herbacidal]

The Chinese population is small and they like to make their own;) Such thrifty people!

i would have expected dimsum to be the local chinese

population's occasional luxury.

it's also possible they don't think too highly of the

dimsum quality and would rather make it themselves.

I forgot to mention my favourite dim sum offering, which is hum sui gok.  The dough is made from glutinous rice flour (I think) and is every so slightly sweet.  It is filled with a ground pork mixture, then deep fried.  I can't find a recipe by Googling, but there's a description of it here.  In Winnipeg restaurants often refer to them as "deep fried Chinese perogy", which in my opinion, they are nothing like.

glutinous rice flour is right.

in areas with larger chinese populations, ham sui gauk would probably not be served as dimsum, much more likely in the chinese bakeries.

yes, they're nothing like pierogies, but most people need something to relate new things to, rather than trying it first on their own, free of perceptions, and making their own opinions.

[herbacidal]

Odd that you live in a town with youtiao but no dim sum.

that's interesting.

i suppose in most metro areas, dimsum would have emerged first.

but of course you tiao is just one thing, and dimsum is composed of numerous different things.

therefore, you tiao is much easier to start selling.

plus dimsum in the US is one of the lowest margin Chinese lines of business, so you really need enough volume for it to work.

[trillium]

Turnip cake is another one of my specialties, as with woo to cake (taro).

I use rice flour (NOT glutinous) in my mixture, with lap chung, mushrooms and dried shrimp. The woo kok is difficult to make, I think. I do have recipes, but Mom said they can disintergrate in the deep fryer quite easily

I've never worked up the courage to make woo gok but I've been told by them that know that the secret to a nice lacy crust is lard. I also suspect most places use taro powder not fresh taro.

I'd love to hear how you make woo to cake, how is it different than lo bak, er, turnip cake?

regards,

trillium

[prasantrin]

curry chicken in puff pastry

I forgot to ask...

Do you make your own puff pastry for the curry puffs? If you do, would you mind sharing your recipe? We used to buy curry puffs from Maxim's (in Winnipeg) but their pastry is terribly greasy. None of the dim sum places here have curry puffs so I've not eaten any since I was in Thailand (or maybe even Singapore!).

I teach ESL, too . I was at the U of M but I got out of that program fast, and am headed abroad again. I've discovered that it is very, very difficult to teach ESL in Winnipeg if you actually care about what you're doing. But that's getting way off-topic .

[cwyc]

We used to buy curry puffs from Maxim's (in Winnipeg) but their pastry is terribly greasy.

So I'm not the only who thinks Maxim's has disgusting pastries. I"m so glad you validated my same thoughts because I was just recently having an argument with someone about whether or not to bring Maxim's pastries as a hostess gift. Just because they are the only Chinese bakery in town (since the one in Chinatown closed a few years ago), does not make it the be all-end all of Chinese pastries in Winnipeg.

The last time I was there, I spyed industral cases of margarine in their fridge. Not only does that offend my purist sensibilities, but I also find it gross that their pastries are tasteless and lard-like.

[prasantrin]

So I'm not the only who thinks Maxim's has disgusting pastries.  I"m so glad you validated my same thoughts because I was just recently having an argument with someone about whether or not to bring Maxim's pastries as a hostess gift.  Just because they are the only Chinese bakery in town (since the one in Chinatown closed a few years ago), does not make it the be all-end all of Chinese pastries in Winnipeg.

The last time I was there, I spyed industral cases of margarine in their fridge.  Not only does that offend my purist sensibilities, but I also find it gross that their pastries are tasteless and lard-like.

They're definitely bad. I don't even think their pastries are lard-like (I love pastry made from lard!) but more like edible-oil-product-like. I used to like their roll cakes even though the buttercream was clearly not made with butter. (I've seen the margarine in their front cooler, as well.) But then I discovered a very good roll cake, and now I know Maxim's stuff is bad all around.

For a hostess gift, I would suggest getting one of the Boss Bakery cakes from Sun Wah. They are in the section where they keep the soy milk and fresh rice noodles. They bring them in from Vancouver every week. The mango one is a bit funky (medicinal tasting, maybe), but the coffee and chocolate ones are good. They could use a bit more flavour, but the cakes themselves are tender and moist, and they use real butter for their buttercream. Warning: The cakes arrive on Wednesday (Thursday if there's a long week-end or some other holiday that week) and they've become so popular that 3/4 of them are gone by Thursday. The ones that are left are usually mango and honeydew (which I've not tried). That's quite a feat given that Winnipegers are notoriously cheap and the cakes are comparatively expensive ($5 for a 6 or 8?" roll, $6 for the lemon one that is iced and has almonds).

[cwyc]

Your assessment of edible oil product is bang on. I think the oiliness comes from the margarine, and not the lard I had mentioned earlier. Butter is the fat closest to body temperature, so it doesn't feel like a greasy finish; whereas margarine will leave an oily finish because it melts slower.

I like lard only to the extent that it gives me the flakiness in crusts. I would only use a little, but have butter as my main component in that instance.

Thanks for the tip on Boss cakes, prasantrin.

Edited December 12, 2003 by cwyc (log)

[Dejah]

PRASANTRIN: I don't make my own puff pastry. I use puff pastry sheets from Pepperidge Farm, in restaurant size boxes. These keep well in the freezer and I just pull out as many sheets as I need. I find they are very easy to work with and not greasy. When I make them, I do up acoupe dozens, freeze individually, then bake as I need them. May not be like the ones you enjoyed in Thailand, but damn! they're yummy

TRILLIUM: If you can make lobak go, you can make woo to go. Most recipes tell you to stir fry the shredded turnip. I find boiling them makes them more tender. I then add them to the rest of the ingredients (which I DO stir fry before hand). With the woo to, I boil them with the skin on, then peel when cooled and dice them. Then I add them to the rest of the ingredients, mix up my rice flour with water, stir it all together, pour into my pan and steam for an hour. The lobak go is stronger in flavour, while the taro cake is more starchy...both delcious! If you need a recipe, I can copy it here for you.

CWYC: Do you make your own cheung fun? I find when I DO make my own, as opposed to buying them from Sun Wah or Oriental Market, I can't keep up to the family! They devour them as soon as I take them off the steamer.

When you make your lotus leave packets, what "kind" of chicken do you use? Boneless? With bones, cut Chinese style, salty chicken? More chicken than rice?

HERBICIDAL: My Mom used to make hum sui gok for special events... like birthdays. I look forward to those days!

Thanks, folks! You've made my first foray into the site SO ENJOYABLE!

[Pan]

Some New York dim sum places also put slices of sausage in sticky-rice-in-lotus-leaf. Worth considering if you can get appropriate sausage.

[herbacidal]

the lotus leaf packets with sticky rice, called

naw mi gai (the bigger one) or jen jhur gai (individual sized)

often have chicken sliced chinese style, lap cheung (chinese sausage) as mentioned above.

almost threw in peanuts and stuff, then i realized i was thinking about zhong zi.

[Dejah]

Herbicidal,

Zhong zi...in bamboo leaves...I use salted fat pork, mushrooms, peanuts, dried shrimp, onions and sometimes shredded dried scallops. My Mom and I usually make about 150 packets, boil, cool then throw them in the freezer for quick meals.

With the nau mai gai, there should be more chicken than rice? A friend of mine ate them for the first time. I was busy doing something out in the kitchen while he was eating it. I asked him how he liked it...and he complained that the leave was awfully chewy!

[jo-mel]

Speaking of Lap/Lop? Cheong - Chinese Sausage, I sometimes use them as is, for a Dim Sum dish. I slice them in long thin fingers, about 2 1/2 inches long, and arrange them like spokes in a bamboo steamer. Not in a single layer, but straddled on each other. I steam them till cooked and a little of the fat is released, then serve them with a dip. I usually leave a hole in the center of the steamer in which I put the dipping sauce dish. Almost no preparation time.

[trillium]

the lotus leaf packets with sticky rice, called

naw mi gai (the bigger one) or jen jhur gai (individual sized)

often have chicken sliced chinese style, lap cheung (chinese sausage) as mentioned above.

almost threw in peanuts and stuff, then i realized i was thinking about zhong zi.

I like lo mai gai with black mushrooms, chicken (with bones) and a little lap cheung, but only if it's the good stuff, not the nasty dyed red stuff that comes sealed in a package.

Dammit you guys, I'm still at work and now I'm really hungry...sigh.

regards,

trillium

[Carolyn Tillie]

Here is a link to an incredible dim sum place in San Francisco.

Oh my god. I am sold. When can we go? (I'm out here in Napa, but would love to get together with others!)

[herbacidal]

and a little lap cheung, but only if it's the good stuff, not the nasty dyed red stuff that comes sealed in a package.

luckily, i haven't happened upon that yet.

With the nau mai gai, there should be more chicken than rice?

no.

[herbacidal]

My Mom and I usually make about 150 packets, boil, cool then throw them in the freezer for quick meals.

just the way my aunt used to. except not sure about the freezing part, and she only did somewhere in high double digits.

the ones we eat now are mostly store bought. not the same.

Edited December 13, 2003 by herbacidal (log)

[Louisa Chu]

Sorry but I have to disagree - there is a general order to eating dim sum - but soft rather than hard and fast rules.

Generally you want to eat the lighter more delicate items first - the ha gow/shrimp/seafood/rice flour wrapper dumplings first - then the heavier, but still smaller, meat dumplings - sui mai, etc. - then the larger items - cherng fun, etc. - meatier items - spareribs in black bean garlic sauce, etc. - the fried items - law bok go, etc. - then towards the end the heaviest/most filling items - naw mai gai, the buns, etc. - sweet baked items next - egg custard tarts, etc. - then the fruity dishes - almond dofu with the ubiquitous canned fruit cocktail. After all the dim sum items you might then serve a stir-fried noodle dish - not soup noodles - symbolic - long life, to send your guests away as full as they can possibly be.

And I'm sorry but any restaurant that's telling you to eat the sweet items with the savoury items is just trying to turn the tables fast.

[Dejah]

LOUFOOD,

Thanks for your input Next time I go to an authentic dim sum restaurant, I'll have to take note of the carts. But, I am usually so keen on eating...JUST BRING 'EM ON!

My guests, (TODAY!) are mostly neophytes with dim sum. I may serve the sui mai first as that's the one I have the most of... Then the ha gow as I have only 60 of those made...and so on. I am going to serve chicken congee, and then red bean soup for dessert along with fresh fruit. Didn't have enough energy left to make custard tarts

I am making naw mai gai in lotus leaves without lap cheung as one of my guests is Malaysian Muslim.

[cwyc]

Sorry but I have to disagree - there is a general order to eating dim sum - but soft rather than hard and fast rules.

Generally you want to eat the lighter more delicate items first

loufood, I quite agree with your assessment of a general eating order to dim sum. I had never conciously given it much thought before, but now that you mention it, that is generally how I dine. It does seem to make sense that one would start with the lighter items, and then move on towards the meatier, saucier items.

But as anyone who frequests a busy dim sum restaurant knows, particularly the crazy ones in Hong Kong and elsewhere, where you are fighting just for a table and sharing it amongst strangers, it is essentially, survival of the fittest. It's not uncommon to be running after the women who push the carts, instead of waiting for them on the off chance they might actually come to your table before its all gone. And then you might end up having to wait another little while before it comes out again. So what most people end up doing is getting what they can get when it arrives. Otherwise, you miss out on it.

There are some finer dining dim sum restaurants where you can order from the menu and it comes out course by course, but that is not generally the case in more common establishments.

It does make sense to get a few of the items (particularly desserts) before its all gone, and then wait till you are ready to consume it. But even then the hot, steamed items will cool off and lose their essence. So, in a perfect world, yes it would be nice to have each of the items come out orderly, but in most fast-paced dim sum houses, you get what you can.

Dejah: I have not tried my hand at making cheung fun yet. In fact, I quite admire your abilities and your ambitiousness. Hope everything turned out well.

Edited December 15, 2003 by cwyc (log)

[Gary Soup]

Sorry but I have to disagree - there is a general order to eating dim sum - but soft rather than hard and fast rules.

In theory, you're probably right, but it's an unrealistic hope, unless you are making them yourself or have your own private chef.

In the places with rolling carts (which the places we favor happen to use), the only possible strategy for optimizing your experience is to try and get seated near the kitchen where you can get your food as freshly cooked as possible; you have no control over the order in which the carts come out of the kitchen. In the places around here where you order your dim sum, you are expected to mark your whole checklist before you turn it in, and again you have no control over the order (or the pacing) of the service.

Either way, they're not likely to cut you much slack; you're just one of 50-100 tables.

Dim sum is like life -- you never know what is coming next.

Edited December 15, 2003 by Gary Soup (log)