Okay, so I stumbled upon this “Yum Yum Dim Sum” cookbook the other day, and let me tell you, I was intrigued. I’ve always loved dim sum, but making it at home? Seemed way too complicated. But, the pictures in this book…man, they got me. I had to try it.
Getting Started
First things first, I flipped through the whole book. I needed to see what I was getting myself into. There were a lot of recipes, some familiar, some totally new to me. I decided to start with something classic – Har Gow (shrimp dumplings). The ingredients list was a bit long, but hey, I’m all about adventure in kitchen!
The Shopping Trip
Next step, the grocery store. Finding everything was…an experience. I ended up going to three different stores. I even had to ask for help a couple of times. It was like a scavenger hunt! Finally, I managed to get everything on the list, including some stuff I’d never even heard of before.
Dough Time!
Back home, I started with the dough. That’s what the recipe said, anyway. I’m not gonna lie, it was sticky. Very sticky. I messed it up the first time, totally added too much water. Flour and water was every where in my small kitchen. Second time was a charm, though! I followed the instructions extra carefully, and it finally came together. Go, me!
Filling and Folding
The filling was easier, just chopping and mixing. The real challenge? Folding those little dumplings. The book had diagrams, but let me tell you, it’s harder than it looks. My first few were…well, let’s just say they wouldn’t win any beauty contests. But, you know what? I kept at it, and they slowly started to look…kinda like dumplings! Practice makes perfect, or at least, slightly-less-ugly.
Steaming and Tasting
- The moment of truth. I put the dumplings in my bamboo steamer(Got it from the first store that I visited, so lucky!), set the timer.
- Then, I waited. The smell was amazing, by the way.
- When the timer dinged, I carefully opened the steamer…and there they were!
- My not-so-perfect, but definitely homemade, Har Gow.
And you know what? They tasted pretty darn good! Not quite restaurant quality, but hey, I made them myself! It was a long process, a bit messy, but totally worth it. I’m already planning my next dim sum adventure. Next I will try the Siu Mai (pork dumplings) !