Alright, so today I’m gonna share my little adventure in making dim sum condiments. I’m no chef, just a dude who likes to eat and figured, “Hey, why not try making the stuff that goes with dim sum?”
First thing I did was hit up Google. I wanted to get a general idea of what condiments usually go with dim sum. Soy sauce was a no-brainer, but I also saw a lot of mentions of chili oil, ginger-scallion sauce, and some kind of plum sauce. Seemed doable.
Then came the fun part: grocery shopping. I grabbed a bottle of good quality soy sauce – none of that cheap stuff. Got some fresh ginger, scallions, garlic, dried chilies, and some plums. I also picked up some rice vinegar and sesame oil, figured they’d come in handy.
Soy Sauce (the easy one): This was dead simple. Just poured some soy sauce into a small dish. Done. Okay, maybe I added a tiny splash of sesame oil for a bit of nutty flavor. Don’t judge.
Chili Oil: This one took a bit more effort. I started by toasting the dried chilies in a dry pan until they were fragrant. Be careful not to burn them, that’s nasty. Then I crushed them up a bit – not too fine, I wanted some texture. Next, I heated up some oil (I used vegetable oil) in a saucepan. Once it was hot but not smoking, I poured it over the crushed chilies in a heatproof bowl. The oil sizzled and smelled amazing. I let it cool down completely, then added a pinch of salt. Boom. Chili oil.
Ginger-Scallion Sauce: This was my favorite. I minced a bunch of fresh ginger and scallions. Like, a lot. Then I heated up some more oil (again, vegetable oil) until it was hot. I poured the hot oil over the ginger and scallions in a bowl. They sizzled and popped. I added a splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Stirred it all together. This stuff is seriously addictive.
Plum Sauce: Okay, this was the trickiest. I pitted and chopped the plums. Then I threw them in a saucepan with some rice vinegar, sugar, and a tiny bit of soy sauce. I let it simmer over low heat until the plums were soft and the sauce had thickened. This took a while, maybe 30-40 minutes. I stirred it occasionally to make sure it didn’t burn. Once it was thick enough, I let it cool down and then blended it with an immersion blender until it was smooth. It tasted pretty good, but it was a bit too sweet for my liking. Next time I’ll use less sugar.
Finally, I arranged all the condiments in little bowls. I steamed some frozen dumplings and siu mai (store-bought, I’m not that ambitious). And then I dug in. Honestly? It was pretty damn good. The chili oil had a nice kick, the ginger-scallion sauce was packed with flavor, and even the plum sauce, despite being a bit sweet, added a nice tang. Definitely worth the effort.
What I learned:
- Fresh ingredients are key.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with flavors.
- Making your own condiments is way easier than you think.
So yeah, that’s my dim sum condiment adventure. Give it a try! It’s a fun way to spice up your next dim sum meal.