DIMSUM: THE LONG AND SHORT

The most visited post on this blog is one I wrote over three years ago in which were listed over two hundred kinds of dimsum. As posts go, it's a curiosity, because most teahouses will not offer so vast a selection. In fact, a restaurant that does dimsum can easily prosper with only a dozen different dainties. Many do.

The lunch places in Chinatown, which cater to an audience in a hurry and the single muncher, will often have even fewer.

Variety may indeed be the spice of life. But as long as the basic items are offered, most people will be plenty happy. Steamed chicken buns, steamed pork buns, meatballs, shrimp bonnets, steamed minced pork dumplings, and two or three kinds of rice sheet rolls. Maybe also spare ribs, glutinous rice and chicken in a lotus leaf packet, and a few variations on the enclosed dumpling, the rolled items, and a fried object or two.

Yes, there is an enormous possible range. But many people will have firm favourites within the basic range, and if they do not get what they love, they will leave disappointed.


The full list is here: DIM SUM LIST


You probably just want some of these:

雞飽 'gai bau'; chicken filled steamed bun. The filling will also have some ginger, black mushroom, and a sliver of Chinese sausage for flavour.  叉燒酥 'cha siu sou'; flaky charsiu turnover.  蝦餃 'haa gau': shrimp bonnets.  燒賣 'siu maai': steamed pork and shrimp dumpling.  豆豉排骨 'dau si pai gwat': black bean spareribs.  牛肉球 'ngau yiuk kau': beef meat ball.  鹹水角 'haahm sui gok': fried sticky dumplings.  鳳爪 'fung jau': phoenix claws (chicken feet).  蝦膠釀青椒 'haa gau yeung jing chiu': bell pepper pieces stuffed with fresh shrimp mince.  腐皮捲 'fu pei kuen': stuffed tofu skin roll.  糯米雞 'lo mai gai': glutinous rice and chicken steamed in a lotus leaf.


Do not expect a choice of hot teas unless you went to a sit-down restaurant. The Chinatown lunch counters have coffee.
That's what most quick customers want anyway.



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