Dim Sum

I had the pleasure of joining some colleagues at Dim Sum this week. Dim Sum is a Cantonese term for snack. The way I see dim sum is as a dining style unique to Hong Kong. It is similar to Spanish Style tapas in that when having Dim Sum you order a variety of small plates. These plates range anywhere from dumplings in bamboo baskets to pork buns to bok choi to jelly fish. A group was in from out-of-town, and one of the Chinese girls on my team booked the lunch at a local spot previously unknown to me. It does not have an English alphabet name. As is common in Chinese style dining, about 15 of us gathered around one round table with a huge Lazy Susan in the middle. On it lay 3 tea pots. As various people ordered a plethora of small plates, the Lazy Susan began to fill up. First with veggies, then with rice noodle dishes, then with pork belly, jelly fish, beef something, mystery meat a, b, and c.

For the western eye, the most approachable items are probably the dumplings and pork buns. Both are delicious. Dumplings come in all styles--my favorite is the soup dumpling. If you aren't familiar with its name, it's often a little meatball cooked inside a soft dumpling--the soup created by cooking the meat is locked into the little dumpling. Often this is served with a sweet light soy sauce. The other dish that I love to have at dim sum is a "pork bun." this is usually a fluffy steamed bread with chopped pork inside. The bun part of the food is quite spongy and round. If you are from Richmond, Virginia, the flavor is similar to a White House roll, although the texture is different.

courtesy of Wikipedia.com. in lower right-hand corner note pork buns in bamboo steamer. Dumplings above. I believe the soup to the upper left is Chinese-style congee, which is a traditional rice porridge

If youre willing to "when in Rome" a dim sum experience, the world is your oyster. Pork Belly is a tad more bold than the dumpling or pork bun; whereas jelly fish are a few more notches up the ladder. Yes, these are jelly fish we are talking about. It is not the British "stinging nettle" vegetarian dish, a delicacy made from poisonous vines. This is mopsy flopsy jelly fish. Everyone I know who has tried it, loved it. That's why I chose to order it at dim sum the other day. Tragically, I did not try it. Pathetic, I know. I won't give you any excuse except that the gelatinous head-cheese prostrating next to the jellyfish could have been anything, and I was too scared. I decided to enjoy it with my eyes this go-round.  After all, there will be other dim sums.

Dim Sum in Hong Kong truly has something for everyone. The communal aspect of dining in this style is perhaps my favorite part of the tradition. I can't wait to go for dim sum with my family who is visiting in 2 weeks!