 INTRODUCTION
Since the 10th. century A.D. Sung dynasty, the Chinese have enjoyed eating tasty, delicate, little dumplings called Dim Sum. initially there were only a few choices to choose from, found mainly in tea houses which people frequented for an afternoon chat or business. As demand and popularity spread so did the menus and selections. Southern China favored small delicate steamed buns, dumplings and pastries, such as cha siu bao (steamed pork buns). Eastern provinces (Nanking and Shanghai) were known for their duck, seafood, and fish dishes. People from this region usually prefer slow cooked foods. Fukien is known for its soups and bean-curd and pancakes wrapped around tasty morsels of food. In Northern China where it is difficult to grow rice wheat is substituted and used as a base in noodles, buns, pancakes, breads and cakes. Vinegar is often used as a seasoning, giving us sweet and sour dishes as well as the world famous Peking Duck. The food from the north is lighter and milder compared to the heavier and spicier foods of the western provinces such as Szechuan and Hunan. These provinces use a lot of red and green peppers with the belief that they stimulate the palate and enhance the subtle range of flavors found in food. Due to the scarcity of ovens and fuel in China dim sum are made by shaping dough into tiny bite sized pieces instead of loaves, so that they will cook quickly. They are usually steamed, deep fried or pan fried and served accompanied with tea. The Cantonese brought dim sum to the American China towns in the 1800’s and today more and more restaurants are catering to dim sum diners and are becoming more and more popular, with typical menu sometimes offering as many as 50 different choices. All over the world one can witness scenes of dim sum feasting. From Hong Kong to Lon-don to San Francisco to New York, early mornings through late nights and especially week-ends, although the most popular times are between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. During these hectic hours the number and variety of customers often match the many choices that are available! Traditionally waiters will push trolley carts full of delicacies and customers will stop the waiters and order straight from the carts, each plate costs the same, so the waiter just counts the number of dishes on your table and hands you the billl/check. Dim Sum are an important part of Chinese life, not only on a daily basis but also at various festivals throughout the year. The purpose of this book is to introduce you, step by step to the processes and techniques involved in making Dim Sum, hopefully giving you a more personal and rewarding experience, while learning more about Chinese culture. Judy Lew,
June 1990
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