Okay, so I’ve been getting into dim sum lately, it’s super yummy! But I got curious, what’s the deal with the pastry? What’s it made of? So I did a little digging and experimenting in my own kitchen.
First off, I found out that there are tons of different dim sum dishes. We’ve got those steamed buns, like the BBQ pork ones, cha siu bao, they call them. And then there are dumplings, which can be steamed, boiled, or pan-fried. It’s a whole world of tasty bites!
I started with the basics – the wrappers. From what I gathered, most dim sum wrappers, or skins, are made with just wheat flour and water. Pretty simple, huh? They’re usually round and thin, about 3 1/2 inches across. I found some at the Asian grocery store, stacked up in a plastic package. Easy peasy.
Experiment time!
I grabbed a pack of these wrappers and decided to try making some dumplings. I mixed up some ground pork, maybe some veggies and seasoning. Then, I put a spoonful of filling in the center of a wrapper, wet the edges, and folded it over, pinching it shut. I made a few, some of them I tried to make it look like what they sell.
- Some I steamed: I put them in a steamer basket over boiling water for a few minutes.
- Others I pan-fried: I cooked them in a little oil until they were golden brown and crispy on the bottom.
Honestly, they turned out pretty good! I mean, they weren’t perfect, but they were definitely edible, and I even impressed myself a little. The steamed ones were soft and chewy, and the pan-fried ones had that nice crispy texture. This made me understand why they are different and have their own special taste.
So, there you have it! My little dim sum adventure. I learned that the pastry is usually just flour and water, and that you can make your own dim sum at home! It’s a bit of work, but it’s fun, and you get to eat the results! Now, I can’t wait to go back to the dim sum place and try even more of their delicious creations. Maybe next time, I’ll try the more difficult ones.
