Alright folks, let me tell you about my weekend project – I’m calling it “dim sum emperor.” Sounds fancy, right? Well, it started pretty simple. I was craving some good ol’ Cantonese dim sum but didn’t feel like battling the crowds at the local restaurants.
So, I thought, “Why not try making it myself?” Famous last words, I know. But I dove right in. First thing I did was hit up the Asian market. I grabbed a bunch of ingredients – shrimp, pork, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, all the good stuff. I even found some pre-made dumpling wrappers, because let’s be honest, I’m not trying to make everything from scratch.
I started with the har gow – those translucent shrimp dumplings. I diced the shrimp, mixed it with some ginger, scallions, sesame oil, and a touch of cornstarch. The filling was actually pretty easy. Then came the tricky part – wrapping them. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos, trying to get that perfect crescent shape with the pleats. Let me tell you, my first few attempts looked like sad, deflated footballs.
But I kept at it. Slowly, but surely, they started looking a bit more presentable. It’s all about the folds, man. Get those folds right and you’re golden. Then I steamed ’em up for about 8 minutes, and boom! Not bad for a first attempt. They weren’t perfect, but they tasted delicious.
Next up was siu mai – those pork and shrimp dumplings with the open top. This was a bit easier to wrap, thankfully. I mixed ground pork with diced shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and some water chestnuts for that nice crunch. Wrapped ’em in the yellow dumpling wrappers, topped each one with a little crab roe (because why not?), and steamed ’em up.
While those were steaming, I moved on to char siu bao – those fluffy barbecued pork buns. This was the most ambitious part of the project. I used a recipe for the dough that involved a lot of kneading and proofing. It took forever! While the dough was rising, I made the char siu filling – diced barbecued pork in a sweet and savory sauce. Stuffing the buns was a bit messy, but I managed. Steamed them up and they came out nice and fluffy.
Lessons learned? Making dim sum is definitely a labor of love. It takes time and patience. And a lot of YouTube videos. But the end result is totally worth it. There’s something incredibly satisfying about biting into a dumpling you made yourself.
So, would I do it again? Absolutely! Maybe not every weekend, but definitely when I’m craving some dim sum and feeling a little adventurous. Plus, I’ve got enough leftovers to last me for days. Dim sum emperor, signing off!