Okay, so I’ve been wanting to try making dim sum at home for ages. It always seemed so intimidating, but I finally decided to give it a shot. I started by searching for some basic recipes, focusing on the classics like har gow (shrimp dumplings) and siu mai (pork and shrimp dumplings).
First, I gathered all the ingredients. This took a while, as I had to visit a couple of different Asian grocery stores to find everything. Things like specific types of flour, Chinese cooking wine, and good quality shrimp were essential.
The Dough Struggle
Making the dumpling wrappers was the hardest part, I gotta be honest. The recipes I found online seemed straightforward enough, but getting the right consistency was tricky. My first batch of har gow dough was way too sticky. I added more flour, little by little, kneading it in until it felt somewhat right, though it was still a bit of a mess.
The siu mai wrappers were slightly easier, as the dough was a bit firmer. I rolled them out as thin as I could, but they definitely weren’t as perfectly round or uniform as the ones you get in restaurants. Practice makes perfect, I guess!
Filling Frenzy
The fillings were more fun. For the har gow, I chopped up some fresh shrimp, mixed it with seasonings like ginger, garlic, and white pepper, and added a touch of sesame oil. The siu mai filling involved ground pork, more shrimp, chopped water chestnuts, mushrooms, and the same basic seasonings.
- Fresh Shrimp
- Ground Pork
- Water Chestnut
- Mushrooms
- Green Onion
Folding Follies
Then came the folding. Oh boy. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos, trying to mimic the delicate pleats of the har gow. My first few attempts were… well, let’s just say they looked more like misshapen blobs than elegant dumplings. I kept practicing, and eventually, they started to resemble something vaguely dumpling-like.
The siu mai were easier to fold, thankfully. You just place the filling in the center of the wrapper, gather the edges up, and pinch them together slightly. They looked pretty decent, even if I do say so myself.
Steaming Success
Finally, it was time to steam. I lined my bamboo steamer with parchment paper, carefully placed the dumplings inside, and set it over a pot of boiling water. The wait was agonizing! After about 10-12 minutes for the har gow and 15 minutes for the siu mai, I took them out.
And… they were actually pretty good! The har gow were a little chewy (probably because of my dough struggles), but the filling was flavorful. The siu mai were even better – juicy, savory, and surprisingly close to the restaurant version.
Overall, it was a lot of work, and my kitchen looked like a flour bomb had exploded, but it was totally worth it. Homemade dim sum is definitely doable, even for a beginner like me. I’ll definitely be trying it again, and hopefully, my folding skills will improve with time!