Well, let me tell ya, what this dim sum thing is made of ain’t no big mystery, but it sure is a whole lot of tasty little bites! It’s like, a bunch of small dishes, kinda like those fancy snacks city folks eat, but way better, ya know? And ya always gotta have tea with it. That’s just how it’s done.
Now, they got all sorts of stuff in them little plates. Lots of ’em are dumplings, all stuffed with different things. I heard tell of somethin’ called “Har Gow.” Sounds fancy, but it’s just a shrimp dumpling, they say. Folks say it’s the king of all them dim sum dishes. I reckon it must be pretty darn good if they call it a king, huh? Every table’s gotta have it, they say. Must be somethin’ special.
Then there’s these buns, all steamed up and fluffy. They call one of ‘em “cha siu bao.” That one’s got pork in it, the kind they barbecue, all sweet and smoky. My grandkids, they love them pork buns, always gobblin’ ’em down faster than I can blink.
- They got dumplings made outta rice,
- some made outta wheat,
- and then these long, roll-up thingies made from rice noodles.
And inside them noodles? Well, pretty much anything goes! Beef, chicken, pork, shrimp again… sometimes all mixed up together! It’s like they just throw in whatever they got on hand, which ain’t a bad thing, mind you. Waste not, want not, that’s what I always say.
I ain’t no fancy chef, but from what I can tell, they use all sorts of stuff. Flour, of course, for the dumplings and buns. Then there’s the meat, like I said, pork, chicken, beef, shrimp… And they put in veggies too, little bits of this and that, onions, maybe some greens… I even saw some with mushrooms once. My old man, he used to love mushrooms.
And the seasonings! That’s where the real magic happens, I reckon. They got soy sauce, of course. Everybody uses soy sauce. And ginger, garlic… I bet they put in some sugar too, and a bit of pepper. Maybe even a little chili, for those who like it hot. My neighbor, old Mrs. Henderson, she puts chili on everything. Says it clears out the sinuses.
It’s a real mix-match of stuff, ya see? But somehow, it all comes together real nice. It’s like, one little bite is salty, the next one’s sweet, then you get a bit of spice… Keeps your mouth guessin’, that’s for sure. And that’s what makes it so good, I think. It ain’t just one flavor, it’s a whole bunch of ‘em, all jumbled up together.
Now, I ain’t gonna lie, I don’t know all the fancy names for everything. Half the time, I just point and say, “I’ll take that one,” or “Give me a couple of those.” And it always turns out good. That’s the thing about dim sum, it’s hard to go wrong. Even if you don’t know what you’re gettin’, chances are it’s gonna be tasty.
So, if you’re ever wonderin’ what dim sum is made of, just remember it’s a whole lotta different things, all mixed together to make a whole lotta yummy little bites. And don’t forget the tea! Ya gotta have the tea. It washes it all down and makes it even better. Trust me on that one.
Now, I’m gettin’ hungry just talkin’ about it. Maybe I’ll go find myself some dim sum. There’s a new place opened up down the street. Heard they make a real good har gow. Maybe I’ll give it a try.
Tags: [Dim Sum, Chinese Food, dumplings, steamed buns, har gow, cha siu bao, food ingredients, traditional food]
