Okay, here is my story about taking a dim sum class:
So, I’ve always loved dim sum, right? Those little bamboo steamers filled with deliciousness? But I never thought I could make it myself. It just seemed way too complicated. Then, a friend told me about this dim sum-making class at a local cooking school. I hesitated at first, I mean, me? Making dim sum? But then I thought, why not?
I signed up for the class, a little nervous but also pretty excited. The day of the class came, and I walked into the cooking school. It was a pretty cool setup, with individual cooking stations for each student. The instructor, a super friendly chef with tons of experience, welcomed us and started by giving us a brief history of dim sum. Apparently, it started in teahouses along the Silk Road. Who knew?
Then came the fun part – getting our hands dirty. We started with har gow, those delicate shrimp dumplings. The instructor showed us how to mix the dough, and let me tell you, getting the right consistency was a challenge! It was either too sticky or too dry. But after a few tries, I finally got it. We then moved on to the shrimp filling. It was a simple mixture, but the key was not to overmix it.
Next up, we had to wrap the dumplings. This was the trickiest part for me. The instructor made it look so easy, folding the dough into those perfect little pleats. Mine? Not so much. They were all different shapes and sizes, some looking like they had been in a fight. But hey, they were my little imperfect dumplings!
We also made siu mai, another dim sum classic. These were a bit easier to wrap, thank goodness. The filling was a mix of pork and shrimp, seasoned with some soy sauce, ginger, and a few other things. They smelled amazing even before they were cooked.
Steaming and eating
- Steaming: Once we were done wrapping, it was time to steam our creations.
- Waiting: We placed our misshapen har gow and siu mai into the bamboo steamers and waited.
- Eating: Those 15 minutes of waiting felt like an eternity! Finally, the instructor gave us the signal, and we opened the steamers.
The aroma that filled the room was heavenly. My dumplings might not have looked perfect, but they smelled incredible. And you know what? They tasted pretty darn good too! I was so proud of myself. I had actually made dim sum! Of course, they weren’t restaurant-quality, but for a first-timer, I think I did okay.
The class was a blast. I learned a lot, had a ton of laughs, and even made some new friends. Plus, I now have the basic skills to make dim sum at home. It won’t be a regular thing, but next time I have a craving, I might just whip up a batch of my own. If you ever get the chance, I definitely recommend taking a dim sum class. It’s a fun experience, and you get to eat your delicious creations at the end! And you have to register again as a school student.