Alright, so I finally got around to trying out that dim sum cookbook I picked up a while back. Been sitting on my shelf looking pretty, but I figured it was time to actually get my hands dirty.
Getting Started – Picking a Victim
Flipping through the pages, man, everything looked amazing. Pictures always do, right? I landed on trying Siu Mai first. Seemed kinda classic, maybe less intimidating than some of the fiddly dumpling wrappers. The ingredient list looked okay, mostly stuff I could grab at the local Asian market. Had to hunt a bit for decent shiitake mushrooms, though.
The Actual Work – Making a Mess
Okay, chopping time. Dicing the pork, the shrimp, the mushrooms… took longer than I thought. My knife skills aren’t exactly chef-level, you know? Got everything minced up eventually. Then came the mixing. The recipe said mix it in one direction to get the right texture. Felt kinda weird, like I was stirring a magic potion or something. Added the seasonings – soy sauce, sesame oil, a bit of sugar, white pepper. Smelled pretty good already.
Now, the wrapping. This is where things got interesting. The book showed these perfect little open-topped dumplings. Mine started out… well, let’s just call them ‘rustic’. Getting the wonton wrappers to cup the filling neatly? Definitely harder than it looks. My first few were kinda lumpy, some looked squashed. But hey, I kept going. Eventually, I got into a bit of a rhythm. They weren’t gonna win any beauty contests, but they looked like something resembling Siu Mai.
- Chopping took forever.
- Mixing felt strange but smelled good.
- Wrapping was the tricky part.
Steaming and the Moment of Truth
Lined my bamboo steamer with some cabbage leaves like the book suggested – clever trick, stopped them sticking. Carefully placed my lumpy-but-lovable Siu Mai inside. Got the water boiling, popped the steamer on top. Then, the wait. About 10-12 minutes of steamy anticipation.
When I lifted the lid, the smell hit me. Wow. Okay, they plumped up nicely. They didn’t fall apart. That felt like a win already. Scooped ’em onto a plate.
Taste test time. Popped one in my mouth. You know what? They were actually really good! Juicy, flavorful, the texture was pretty spot on. Maybe a tiny bit salty, my bad on the soy sauce. But honestly, for a first attempt? I was pretty chuffed. They tasted way better than they looked, that’s for sure.
So, What’s the Verdict?
This whole dim sum making thing? It’s work. Don’t let those pretty cookbook pictures fool you into thinking it’s effortless. But, it’s also kinda fun, getting your hands in there, making something from scratch. The cookbook was helpful, gave me the basics I needed. Was it easy? Not exactly. Was it worth it? Yeah, I think so. Eating dim sum I actually made myself felt pretty darn satisfying. Might even try Har Gow next time… wish me luck.