So, the other weekend, the family decided we needed a proper get-together. Instead of ordering out, I got this idea in my head: dim sum for everyone. Made by yours truly. Sounded simple enough, right? Well, let me tell you how that went.
Getting Started
First things first, I had to figure out what to make. You know dim sum, there’s like a million different things. I decided to keep it manageable. Went for some classics:
- Siu Mai (Pork and Shrimp Dumplings)
- Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings)
- Char Siu Bao (BBQ Pork Buns)
Seemed like a good mix. Next step was hitting the Asian market. Man, that place was packed. Grabbed everything on my list – wrappers, shrimp, pork, special flours, sauces, bamboo steamers I didn’t own yet. My cart was overflowing. Already felt like a big project.
The Actual Making Of…
Okay, Saturday morning rolls around. Kitchen time. I started with the fillings. Chopping, mixing… that part wasn’t too bad. Felt pretty good, actually. Like a real chef, ha!
Then came the wrapping. Oh boy. This was the hard part. Those Har Gow wrappers? Sticky little things. And getting those pleats right? My first few looked like sad, lumpy messes. Seriously, total respect for the pros who make these look perfect. The Siu Mai were a bit easier, more forgiving. Just stuff ’em and leave the top open kinda.
The Char Siu Bao dough needed proofing. I’m not much of a baker, so I was just following the recipe instructions super closely. Punching down the dough was kinda fun, gotta admit. Filling them was okay, but sealing them properly so the filling didn’t leak during steaming? Another challenge. Let’s just say some were prettier than others.
Steaming took ages because I only bought two bamboo steamers. Had to do it in batches. The whole kitchen was filled with steam. Windows fogged up. Felt like a sauna in there.
Serving it Up
Finally, everything was cooked. Looked pretty decent, actually. Not restaurant-perfect, but definitely homemade.
Brought out the steamers, tray by tray. Everyone gathered around the table. The kids were super curious. Handed out chopsticks and little soy sauce dishes. The moment of truth.
They dug in. And you know what? They loved it! Okay, maybe they were just being nice, but there were lots of “mmm” sounds and people went back for seconds and thirds. Even my wonky-looking Har Gow got eaten. Seeing everyone enjoy the food I spent all morning wrestling with? That felt really good.
It wasn’t easy, took way longer than I thought, and the kitchen looked like a disaster zone afterwards. But sharing that food, seeing everyone chatting and eating together, made it totally worth it. Dim sum for everyone, mission accomplished. Might even do it again sometime. Maybe.
