Traditionally, dim sum entails a wide variety of Cantonese dishes – ranging from dumplings to puddings to noodles – that are presented in small portions. Many restaurants that serve dim sum today draw from Cantonese cuisine, although the evolution of dim sum is fascinating. For Asian Americans, its fascinating history is a marker of the vibrant food culture commemorating decades of hard work for Asian American cuisine.
Common Delicacies in Dim Sum
Two of the most common dishes served at dim sum houses are chicken feet and beef strips – two delicacies that are staples to the cuisine. Additionally, the most common types of tea ordered along with dim sum are black tea (红茶), pu’er tea (普洱茶), chrysanthemum tea (菊花茶), jasmine tea (茉莉花茶), and oolong tea (乌龙茶).
Another classic dim sum dish is har gao (虾饺), shrimp dumplings wrapped in translucent rice paper. For more seasoned dim sum eaters, it is an indication of the quality of that restaurant. Other dumpling dishes include siu mai (烧卖), chao zhou dumplings (潮州粉粿), and the ever-popular steamed soup dumplings (小笼包).
While many new dim sum visitors are familiar with dumplings and tea, some dishes are largely unknown to the outsider. Steamed beef rice with egg (窝蛋牛肉饭) and steamed rice noodles (肠粉) offer interesting additions to the table, and can be combined with cha siu bao (叉烧包) – BBQ pork stuffed buns – for more texture and variety.
Meet dishes can round off a classic dim sum experience, as staple classics like hai kim (蟹钳), steamed pig feet (南乳蒸猪手), and beef triipe (金钱肚) contrast the many rice or grain-based dishes.
Dim Sum etiquette
When one first arrives at the dim sum table, it is custom to cleanse tea cups and bowls with boiling water, which is a common habit of many locals. The plates at the table are commonly used to place bones and scraps, and thus rinsing is not needed.
Furthermore, it is custom to never use your hands, despite many of these dishes being small enough to be picked up by hand. Chinese and Cantonese culture emphasizes respect to elders, above all else. Thus, it is typical that the youngest member at the table fills the cups of the rest of the attendees.
History of Dim Sum
Dim sum was first referenced in historical records around the tenth century when merchants, many traveling for commercial purposes around the city of Guangzhou, described teahouses with miniature-portion meals for two people, at most. This was called “yum cha”, which, when translated, means “one cup, two pieces.” The name “dim sum” would come later, when customers prescribed the idea that these small portions were meant to touch the heart, and not just the stomach. Thus, dim sum, which means “touch the heart” in Mandarin, was born.
The cuisine later made its way to the European continent through trading routes like the Silk Road, and several centuries later, immigrants bound for the United States brought this piece of culture with them as well.
Dim Sum in America
Traditionally, dim sum primarily served sweets and snacks that were accompanied with tea. However, as its popularity proliferated, dim sum soon became associated with a variety of occasions. No longer was it a delicacy for travelers, but soon became a signature holiday dish, part of seasonal deals, and a staple late-night snack for tourists. Many dishes were no longer required to be served with tea, and rather, could be ordered “à la carte.”
For early Asian Americans, dim sum was a way of life. Many immigrants who arrived in the United States found a living through the establishment of Chinese restaurants. Although these independent communities were primarily for financial purposes, they had an unintended consequence of preserving aspects of Cantonese heritage that these new Americans had no access to, an ocean away.
Dim Sum Today
Today, dim sum is often associated with street food – it’s cheap, quick, and easy to eat. That doesn’t mean the quality isn’t top-tier: Tim Ho Wan, an eatery known as the “world’s most inexpensive Michelin-starred restaurant,” brings a unique blend of great cuisine and affordability through dim sum. The chain has franchises across the world, and blends local tastes with a timeless tradition. In America, as with a majority of Asian food, dim sum has somewhat evolved into a fusion of American tastes and Cantonese influence.
While the deep legacy and fascinating history of dim sum can be traced, its true significance to the Asian American community, and the larger American society as a whole, is how these traditions are manifestations of cuisine we see today. As populations and cultures evolve, so does food. Fusion cuisine is becoming increasingly popular as Asian and American tastes combine with one another. It also promotes cross-cultural appreciation that introduces a piece of Asian history to the rest of the world. This can be a powerful force of culinary tourism as curious visitors flock to dim sum restaurants to engage in a part of ancient history.
Dim sum is more than a treat that one can take their family out to once in a while — it’s an emblem of the Asian American community’s resilience throughout struggles, a triumph of the American Dream and the continuation of the ever-evolving Asian American presence in America today.
