Okay, so check it out, I did this dim sum cooking class thing the other day, and man, it was way more involved than I thought it would be. Let me break it down.
First off, I signed up for this class online. It was one of those “learn to make authentic dim sum” deals. I figured, hey, I love eating it, might as well try making it, right?
So, I showed up at the studio, and it was already buzzing. There were like, ten other people, all looking equally clueless. The instructor, this super chill Chinese lady, she greeted us and got right to it.
First up: Dough. We started with the basic dough for har gow, those shrimp dumplings. Mixing flour, hot water, a little oil – seemed simple enough. But then she showed us how to knead it just right, and that’s where it got tricky. I’m talking, pushing, folding, turning…my arms were burning! Apparently, the consistency is key, otherwise the wrappers will be too sticky or too tough. I definitely didn’t get it perfect on my first try, but whatever, practice makes perfect, right?
Next: Fillings. We made a few different fillings. Shrimp for the har gow, pork and shrimp for the siu mai, and a veggie mix for some vegetarian dumplings. The instructor showed us how to properly chop the ingredients – like, uniform little pieces. I was just hacking away at everything. I think I butchered the poor shrimp.
Then came the fun part: Wrapping. Okay, maybe not fun at first. Folding the har gow wrappers into those little pleated beauties? Impossible! My first few looked like mangled messes. But the instructor was patient, showing us again and again how to pinch and fold. After a while, I started getting the hang of it. My siu mai turned out pretty decent, if I do say so myself.
Steaming time! Once we had a pile of dumplings ready to go, we loaded them into bamboo steamers and steamed them up. The smell was amazing! That classic dim sum aroma filled the whole studio.
Finally: Eating! The best part, obviously. We all sampled our creations. Some were better than others (mine were… let’s just say “rustic”). But honestly, everything tasted pretty good, especially after all that hard work. We even got to take some home!
- Learned a lot: Like, way more than I expected.
- Arms are sore: Kneading is no joke.
- Definitely wanna try this again: Maybe with a YouTube tutorial next time.
Overall, the dim sum cooking class was a blast! It was way more hands-on than I thought it would be, and I definitely gained a new appreciation for the art of dim sum. I might not be a dim sum master just yet, but hey, at least I know how to mangle some dumplings now.