EVERYTHING ABOUT DIM SUM by Wing Yan Ng

EVERYTHING ABOUT DIM SUM DIM SUM OLDSEAFOOD PRESERVING THE HERITAGE OF HANDMADE DIM SUM

TABLE OF CONTENT TABLE:101Serial Number: 2001

DIM SUM RECORD SHEET

BY: DIM SUM OLD SEAFOOD

01 Background 02

Importance of Dim Sum

Endangered Dim Sum?!

04 Dim Sum Quiz! Appendix and References

About Us Created by a few dim sum lovers studying at University, "Dim Sum Old Seafood" is created as a platform to reinvigorate the public's interest in the lost art of traditional handmade dim sum. By introducing some of the traditional dim sums that are long lost to the public eyes, we hope to document some of the exotic recipes that have fallen by the wayside in the culinary scene in Hong Kong. We hope that our efforts could enrich the current lacuna of information on those waning craftsmanship, and induce interest in the dim sum culture.

Our Project Instead of limiting to merely the cooking of the dim sum, we hoped to dissect the entire dim sum production process through and through. Starting from the top from the origin of the ingredients, sourcing of raw materials, dim sum wrapping and production techniques, to the final plating, we hoped to explain each step of the way to reveal some of the unknown processes of dim sum making to the public domain. We hope to engage our audience in a deeper exploration of the craftsmanship of dim sum making, and raise public awareness in preserving the taste of old Hong Kong for our next generations as a collective memory for this equally vanishing community. Despite a resurgence in the awareness of local culture in recent years, culinary arts were often forgotten in the efforts of preserving traditional culture in Hong Kong. Knowing the lack of Government support in promoting ICH in Hong Kong, it might be a small step toward restoring dim sum to its former glory in Hong Kong, but definitely a crucial one in preserving the craftsmanship of such wonderful culinary delicacies.

On-site Visits 蓮香樓

Lin Heung Tea House ( ) Spurred from the once-famous Lin Heung Lau brand in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, Lin Heung Tea House is the successor of the traditional setting of the tea house. With dim sum carts and retro teacups, Lin Heung Tea House is once deemed as the godfather of hand-crafted dim sum, and a demonstration of excellence in Teahouse culture.

陸羽茶室

Luk Yu Tea House ( ) Featuring traditional Chinese style designs, Luk Yu Tea House is well-known for its colonial style, adherence to tradition and loyal long-time customers. The dim sum there is delicately crafted and originally served to the upper class in Hong Kong, and thus is par excellence in the heart of many. It is one of those symbols of Hong Kong cuisine culture that attract thousands of tourists from around the world every year.

EVERYTHING ABOUT DIM SUM

Background 5

A Brief History of Dim Sum in Hong Kong 6

fAccording to Ngai (2021), the history of dim sum, literally meaning “touching the heart” in Chinese, can be traced way back to the Eastern Jin dynasty (317AD-420AD). The legend goes that villagers made an assortment of petite cakes and buns for frontline soldiers as an expression of their heartfelt gratitude, giving these wonderful dishes their names. Later on in the Tang Dynasty (618AD-907AD), some early written records of dim sum were found in the Book of Tang (“the History of Tang”) as small dishes made between main meals of the day. The true prevalence of dim sum came with the rise of the region of Canton becoming a major entrepôt during the Qing Dynasty where businessmen and travellers from all over the world and the empire often went to teahouses in the urban region, which serve dim sum alongside the main treat—tea, as a side dish, through enjoying which people can discuss business in a more relaxed manner. As Hong Kong replaced Canton in being a trade hub of China in the 20th century, the teahouse and dim sum culture moved and took root in Hong Kong and developed a special style of a hybrid of the west and the east. The culture is later popularised and no longer a privilege for the commercial class but one for all to enjoy.

A Brief History of Dim Sum in Hong Kong7

According to Adamson and Segan (2008), Guangzhou was a wealthy, large port city that had international visitors, a temperate climate and an environment where rich ingredients can be found. These factors made Guangzhou an ideal environment to develop a rich and versatile culinary culture such as dim sum. He added that dim sum originated from the upper-class culture of middle-aged China. It bears the vestige of royal chefs’ culinary techniques and culture back in the Song Dynasty. Those cultures were mimicked by the upper class and preserved in the rich and relatively stable city of Guangzhou from wars and calamities plaguing China throughout history. He also discussed the historical development of the dim sum culture with reference to many anecdotes in the Song and the Ming Dynasty. Philips set the stage for the emergence of dim sum culture again in 19th century Guangzhou. As a dining culture in an international trading hub, dim sum actually featured lineage and ingredients from food culture in many different regions of China. Cuisine in other parts of China was modified and localised such that they are incorporated into the dim sum menu. He also explained the process of the dim sum being popularised into the local populace’s diet. Many exquisite Dim Sum chefs fled to Hong Kong to avoid wars and famine in China during the 20th century. They bring in top-class cooking skills and creative dim sum recipes that feature outstanding craftsmanship incomparable in China that could have flourished only due to the prosperity of Guangzhou.

A Brief History of Dim Sum in Hong Kong8

Skills and Craftsmanship in Dim Sum Making 9

Chan and Bok (2013) described that dim sum making requires intricate skills. Growing up in a family in which most members work in restaurants, dim sum chef Mak Gui-pui, the founder of Tim Ho Wan ( ), a well-known dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong, explained that making dim sum demands a very dedicated mind to perfection. A dim sum master has to take every variable into consideration to make a good dim sum. Therefore, it is also important that a master demands high standards from the apprentice, which is the only way to pass on the craftsmanship.

添好運

Issa (2020) also pointed out that it takes years for an apprentice to become a stand-alone dim sum chef. Oftentimes, they are under great pressure from their “sifu” (master), who usually yell and shout when mistakes are spotted. However, it is considered an imperative process of being a great master. According to Chef Mak, he never groaned about being punished or scolded since those became the motivation for him to improve (Chan and Bok, 2013). Instead of complaining, most of them are thankful for the strict demand from masters.

Skills and Craftsmanship in Dim Sum Making

Jones and Burridge (2021) stated a new point that dim inspires many chefs with plenty of room to innovate by introducing the example of chef Nicolas Elalouf, who had learned the basic skills from dim sum grandmaster and added his own elements in this traditional cuisine. The chef learned from the basics and made changes based upon these traditional ways of making. It is interesting that the skill of making dim sum has great potential for reinvention and is thus of great value. This idea was further reinforced by Das (2020), a food anthropologist, in an interview with Michelin-starred chef Andrew Wong. He elaborated that dim sum, which is often made in bitesize, is full of potential in the exploration of its texture. It is a huge challenge for dim sum chefs to control the stickiness, the crunch or the glutinosity. On top of that, seasoning is a complicated topic to dwell on. Only by using the right proportion of ingredients to create the sweetness, savouriness and barbecue-ness could a dim sum chef successfully make a piece of those delicious, delicate dumplings in the bamboo steamers.

Skills and Craftsmanship in Dim Sum Making

Importance of Dim Sum 12

Cultural Importance of Dim Sum in Hong Kong 13

Dim sum is an inseparable part of Hong Kong culture. With the Chinese translation of “Dim Sum” could be literally interpreted as “so close to heart”, So (1997) explained the phrase depicts the intrinsic value of consuming dim sum for Hong Kongers as a heartfelt moment of relaxation during their hustle and bustle of the day. Eating dim sum is usually a happy and boisterous occasion, with the taste of dim sum projecting a sense of comfort and ease, and a rare relaxing moment in Hong Kongers' bustling schedules (Chan & Bok, 2013). Often considered as comfort food for Hong Kongers, dim sum is a culinary icon of Hong Kong and remains one of the most recognisable parts of Hong Kong’s unique local culture (Jones & Burridge, 2021). Dim sum has also been an integral part of community formation, as neighbours gather around eating dim sum for neighbourhood gossip, and discussions of societal issues. Interestingly, dim sum played an important role in Hong Kong’s economic development. A tool for business discussions, Cheng (2017) also explained that a lot of insurance and property agents usually conduct their sales meetings while eating dim sum, as the lengthy time for dim sum eating provides sufficient time for negotiations. Even among diasporic Hong Kongers, dim sum eating is an integral part of preserving the cultural identity of their ethnic roots and maintaining the community of Hong Kongers.

Cultural Importance of Dim Sum in Hong Kong

Chen (2015) pointed out that Dim sum represents a local tradition of tangible elements of the wide variety of food served, to intangible components such as the ritual of consuming and the human interactions. Often recognized as a novelty, the unique social practices and serving rituals in Hong Kong’s Dim Sum culture co-created a unique atmosphere for social bondings and symbolization of traditions in Hong Kong. (Li, 2002) The variety of locations where dim sum is consumed demonstrates the cultural diversity of the multi-facet of Hong Kong culture. In traditional teahouses, it is usually served in the form of “Yat Chung Leung Kin”, where it refers to the consumption practice of serving two pieces of minuscule dim sums in a bamboo steamer, that are savoury or sweet in flavour, while drinking with a pot of Chinese Tea, where Cheng (2017) described the practice as a “homage” to the traditional Chinese foodways. Iterations of dim sum are commonly found in places other than teahouses, such as restaurant chains and takeaway shops, where dim sum has evolved from a mainstay in family gatherings to a commodity food item consumed by Hong Kongers on a regular basis (Arcibal, 2021). Not exclusive to teahouses only, Cruz et al. (2013) explained that Chinese dim sum is also sold as street food, with simpler adaptations of Squid Ball and Siu Mai being popularly consumed as a convenience snack.

Cultural Importance of Dim Sum in Hong Kong

The dim sum culture is a representation of the globalised identity of Hong Kongers. Not only does dim sum conjure up the traditional cultural practices among the Chinese diaspora, Tam (1997) explained that it also represents the interplay between facets of traditional Chinese culture with the Western-influenced lifestyle in Hong Kong. Demonstrated by the diversity of dim sums originating from a conspicuous mix of origins, such as Beijing, Szechuan, Thailand or even Japan, dim sum is a representation of the inclusiveness of Hong Kong, and the diversified influence of its globalised culture (Tam, 2010).

Cultural Importance of Dim Sum in Hong Kong

Preservation of Dim Sum in Hong Kong 17

Given the colonial history and position of an entrepôt of Hong Kong, dim sum is facing constant challenges from the everchanging socio-economic environment. In the 1990s, Hong Kong experienced a drastic expansion of western cuisines and transnational chain stores, threatening the prominence of Cantonese cuisine (Klein, 2007). These impactful cultural influences were reflected in the evolution of dim sum making and the emergence of Cantonese nouvelle cuisine. The wave of Cantonese nouvelle cuisine highlights the gratification of serving style and incorporation of foreign cooking techniques (Klein, 2007). Teahouses are no longer associated with the grassroots population. Instead, it becomes a delicacy experience situated in a convivial setting (Ngai, 2021). Accordingly, dim sum underwent assimilation with foreign culinary styles. In general, traditional dim sum craftsmanship are now receiving increased attention yet lacking a proper documentation for that.

Preservation of Dim Sum in Hong Kong18

Meanwhile, the locals have spared full efforts in preserving this traditional art by public education and formal training. Several education institutions have introduced curricula on dim sum making to prepare youngsters for becoming dim sum masters in the future. Offered by Yan Oi Tong and Hong Kong College of Technology, students would be trained on basic techniques for making traditional dim sum. In addition to in-school training, it is a local tradition for sifu to offer an apprenticeship to new blood as a start of their career in the dim sum industry. Unfortunately, apprentices were also reported to be less mindful of the quality of dim sum production than in the past (Yu, 2017). The younger generation also sees better prospects to pursue a western culinary career path (Wong, 2019). Nevertheless, non-profit organizations and restaurants are eager to promote dim sum making in different ways, popularizing dim sum making skills. Involving both theoretical knowledge and practical training, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has been offering dim sum interest classes for the general public at an affordable price. In light of the emerging wave of migration, Tsui Kee Dim Sum ( ) invited an experienced dim sum master in providing free lessons on dim sum making techniques to the public. They hoped that traditional craftsmanship could be passed on amid the expansion of the Hong Kong diaspora (Cheng, 2021).

徐記廚房點心

Preservation of Dim Sum in Hong Kong19

Additionally, some local restaurants are insisting on serving the most authentic and traditional dim sum to the public. Tim Ho Wan ( ) upholds the spirit of simplicity and authenticity by showing reluctance to innovation (Lee, 2017). As a teahouse newly opened in 2021, House of Orient ( ) emphasizes the delicacy of traditional craftsmanship. Despite incorporating French components in the presentation style, they employed a former chef from Fook Lam Moon Restaurant to deliver handmade authentic dim sum (Chu, 2021).

添好運

福和雍

Moving to the online arena, there is a rise in dim-sum-related concern groups on social media. For example, Hong Kong Dimsum Concern Group and Hong Kong Siumai Concern Group. Unexpectedly, their popularity is not incompatible with renowned celebrities of reaching 50k followers and 129k likes on Facebook respectively. In 2021, Hong Kong Siumai Concern Group even published the very first book named “Hong Kong Siumaipedia” to document the craftsmanship and production of siumai.

Preservation of Dim Sum in Hong Kong20

Endangered Dim Sum 21

MENU （小）雞球大包

(Small) Jumbo Chicken Bun

（中）魚翅餃

(Middle) Shark Fin Dumplings

（頂）灌湯餃

(Deluxe) Soup Dumplings

（頂）鳳眼餃

(Deluxe) Phoenix Eye Prawn Dumplings

（小）芝麻卷

(Small) Black Sesame Roll

Jumbo Chicken Bun 23

Origin Jumbo Chicken Bun is famous for its generous fillings and affordable price. It was mostly offered in the morning with a daily quota, and no takeaway was allowed. Back in the early 20th century, Jumbo Chicken Bun was a promotional strategy to attract customers to visit teahouses. The working class would wake up early just to get the chance to buy the bun and it gradually became a daily routine for them before starting a day of work.

History The Jumbo Chicken Bun evolved from the Chicken Pot, a big piece of pot-like bread with rich stuffing insides. In the midst of the industrial revolution in the 1960s to 1970s, Jumbo Chicken Bun was still a popular dimsum option among the population. In response to the economic bomb in the 1980s, the locals were searching for higher quality of life and living standard. It was largely reflected in their dining habit of consuming decent, healthy, and luxurious dimsums. Meanwhile, teahouses were eager to invent new dimsums to cater the changing needs and wants of customers. With the declining demand of Jumbo Chicken Bun, most teahouses no longer provide it in their menu.

Making Craftsmanship Main Ingredients Chicken Thigh, Pork, Chinese Sausages, Chinese Ham, Shiitake Mushrooms, Yam Bean, Boiled Egg, Flour Steps 1. Cut the chicken thigh into pieces and mince other ingredients. 2. Season all stuffing with salt, sugar, soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, and pepper. 3. Mix the leaven with flour, water, and sugar. 4. Powdered baking ammonia has to be added during the mixing to create the fluffiness of the skin. 5. Divide the dough into pieces and flatten into a circle. When we are flattening the dough, we must make sure that the edge is thicker than the center to facilitate the folding. 6. Put the filling into the bun (as much as possible). 7. In the making of a bun, we have to pinch the skin and fold it clockwise so that all fillings fit into the bun.

Making Craftsmanship The flattening process requires years of practice to achieve a mastery level as it involves simultaneous motions of controlling the strength on the rolling pin and adjusting the position of a dough. The pinching It is never easy to pinch a bun. Pursuing the aesthetic in dimsum, the chef has to be aware of the consistency between each folding.

Cultural Significance Jumbo Chicken Bun was a significant part of livelihood in many Hong Kongers in the past. While its diminishing importance has revealed the change in dining habits of Hong Kongers under the macroeconomic environment, it is often forgotten about the food and the difficult history endured by many in the past. Living in prosperity, Hongkongers today could barely imagine the hard times their ancestors had when they were not able to afford a proper meal but a bun. Nowadays, only old-school teahouses such as Lin Heung Tea House still serve this dim sum, usually 40-50 daily will be made in the early morning every day. These old buns are popular no more amongst the youngsters and will fade away soon, gloriously, finishing the mission their era bestowed on them.

Shark Fin Dumplings 29

Origin The Shark Fin Dumplings are rumoured to have originated from the 1980s, when Hong Kong was experiencing a tremendous economic boom. Noticing the tremendous popularity of shark fin soup, some restaurants tried to add shark fins into dumplings, and met with positive reviews and overwhelming enthusiasm from their customers. Gradually, the Shark Fin Dumplings became a mainstay in upper-class teahouses, especially in those where local tycoons are often hosted.

History Originally a dim sum found in upper-class teahouses, the shark fin dumplings have become a popular feature in normal teahouses, where it is promoted as a specialty for normal customers to enjoy. The inclusion of shark fins into dumplings has met with overwhelming interest, where Shark Fin Dumplings become one of the most popular dim sums found in the teahouses. As customers have refrained from consuming shark fin in the 2000s due to animal cruelty, chefs have intelligently included glass noodles into the dimsum, which could imitate the texture and the taste of shark fins. Nowadays, besides pork and shrimp which is usually a crucial part of the taste of Shark Fin Dumplings, shark fin is still consumed as dim sum in selective teahouses in Hong Kong.

Making Craftsmanship Main Ingredients Dumpling Wrappers, Shrimp, Pork Minces, Chinese Ham, Carrots, Shiitake Mushrooms, Shark Fin (optional), Glass Noodles (optional) Making Craftsmanship 1. Mix in the shrimp with minced ham, pork and salt, and smash it until the mix is sticky enough 2. Adding in pepper, sesame oil, carrots and corianders, and store it in the refrigerator 3. Pick up a small portion of the mix and wrap it into dumpling wrappers, 4. Enclose the dumpling by pitching the side of the wrappers (The more the pinch the better!). 5. Steam and Serve! And Voila!

Cultural Significance Although dumplings are often considered as a commodity for families, the inclusion of shark fins have elevated the status of dim sum as a luxury good. As the consumption of shark fin is often recognized as a demonstration of wealth, people often crave eating shark fin to show off their social status. Albeit the consumption of shark fin have slowly subsided in Hong Kong, the integrity and the production process of Shark Fin Dumplings have continued with glass noodles, as it remained to be a precious item that is rarely found in traditional teahouses. The extravaganza of shark fin consumption in a commodity food like dumplings reflects a period of history of Hong Kongers’ obsession in showing off their wealth throughout their daily lives. While the mentality has slowly waned, the concept and ideology of eating Shark Fin Dumplings prevails.

Soup Dumplings 34

Origin Dumplings originated from the nomadic tribes in northern China. They were originally assorted meat in wrapping. A easy-to-make and convenient dish. After its adoption by the Chinese, the making of dumplings became more and more delicate and diversified, adding into it a taste of artistic craftmanship that emphasis techniques over mere satiety. According to historical archives, soup dumplings first emerged in the Ming Dynasty. It was recorded in the Recipes from the Garden of Contentment ( ) by Yuan Mei. His description glorifies the beauty of how pork skin was cooked in a meat broth and stuffed into dumplings .

隨園食單

History Soup dumplings are later turned into a regular dimsum in teahouses. Nothing different from other dimsum, the presentation of soup dumplings complied with the traditional practice of “one cup and two pieces” in which two soup dumplings were served in a dimsum steamer. However, chefs and customers were annoyed and frustrated with the presentation as the soup dumplings were often broken during the delivery. This is why the soup dumplings are now served in a bowl filled with soup. Because of the high costs required in the making of traditional soup dumplings, it is now mostly found in high-ended teahouses. Some of them also included luxurious ingredients in soup dumplings such as seafood and shark fin, to raise the standing of soup dumplings. In response to the healthy pursuit in modern society, pork skin is replaced by agaragar jelly to deliver a bite of chewiness in the dumpling.

Making Craftsmanship Main Ingredients Pork Skin (or agar-agar jelly), Meat Broth (ham, chicken, bones), Shrimp, Pork, Chicken, Chinese Ham, Dried Scallop, Shiitake Mushroom, Egg, Flour Steps - The Stuffing 1. Put ham, chicken, and bones into boiling water and boil it for 5 hours. 2. Filter all ingredients in soup. Add agar-agar jelly into the soup and boil for another hour. 3. Place the soup under room temperature for a night and wait for the solidification process. 4. Mix shrimp, pork, chicken, ham, dried scallon, and shiitake. The proportion of meat broth and other ingredients should be 1:1.

Making Craftsmanship Steps - The Wrapping 1. Mix the flour with egg. 2. Divide the dough into pieces. 3. Flatten the dough into a circle and make it as big as possible. BE CAREFUL! Don’t leave any small holes when you are flattening or else the soup will spill out! 4. Do the wrapping. This is one of the most skillful parts in the making of soup dumplings. Each dumpling has to be 15-folded, not any more or less than that. You must keep some room between the foldings to allow space for expansion when cooking. 5. STEAM IT!! You may remove the lid to avoid vapour drop into the dumpling and dilute the thickness of the soup.

Cultural Significance Soup dumplings are an iconic representation of luxurious dimsum. The luxury doesn’t merely come from the ingredients but the sophisticated production behind. Traditional way of making soup dumplings requires that the wrapping be thin yet tenacious, such that it could hold the soup inside without breaking. It will not be served inside a bowl of soup like what people does nowadays but rather the soup is concealed inside, hot and swaying, a representation of the skillfulness of the chef in making the wrap. Under the influence of Capitalism, cost effectiveness is the golden rule for business. It is unfortunate that the importance of cultural preservation is downplayed in contemporary society. Teahouses deemed that it is by no means cost-effective to boil a meat broth specifically for soup dumplings and spare extra time to prepare soup dumplings out of their tight schedule.

Phoenix Eye Prawn Dumplings 40

Origin and History The phoenix eye prawn dumplings traces its origin from the shrimp dumplings ( ) family. Shrimp dumpling is said to be invented in Canton during the 1920s when chefs used shrimps caught locally in the seafood-rich region as a stuffing of dumplings, an innovation of his era.

蝦餃

As competitions between the many tea house in Canton were fierce during the 1920s and the 1930s, with some even opening chain stores in the city with large capital input from rich merchants who discovered interests in the business, tea houses have to innovate on the dim sum they had to outgun their opponent and claim victory in the match. Some teahouses, even went to the extent of introducing 12-20 new dim sum each week dubbed “weekly fancy dim sum” ( ).

星期美點

Origin and History Therefore, dim sum chefs have to incorporate skills and techniques from other food genres they observed in the then-international city and fused with their own creativity to make new dim sum with palatable taste and appealing appearance. One of such innovations is the phoenix eye dumplings. It is built on the basis of the shrimp dumplings and introduces novel ingredients such as scallops, chinese ham, salted egg yolk into shrimp dumplings and adopts a more fancy design. Through exquisite craftsmanship, chefs are able to knead the thin skin into eyes-like shape.

Making Craftsmanship Main Ingredients Pork picnic, Dry Shrimp, Chinese Ham, Cooked Egg Yolk, Sea Shrimp, Shiitake Mushrooms, Bamboo Shoot, Flour (wheat starch) The stuffing is rich in terms of ingredient and is therefore dubbed as the “hundred-flowers stuffing” ( ) in Chinese.

百花餡

Making Craftsmanship Steps 1. Unlike usual dumplings, the stuffing of this dumpling is very rich, with ingredient sourcing from expensive Chinese ham to seafood like shrimp. 2. The wrapping of this dish is very uncommon in that the chef will not completely seal the stuffing in the wrapping but spare two eye-like holes on the sealing. The chef must be very handy in minching this flimsy design on the wrapping that is very thin. 3. He will then put ham and cooked egg yolk dice in the two holes to make the signature phoenix eyes. 4. The decoration for the eyes may vary with the practice of the chef. Some use carrots dice and green peas to cut costs. 5. In some different records, instead of two small phoenix eyes on the dumpling’s sealing, the dumplings will not be sealed in the middle at all but only on the two sides to make a big phoenix eye. Some bigger and expensive ingredients such as scallops or abalone will be put in the eye hole.

Cultural Significance The dumplings are a symbol of the elaborate presentations and exquisite craftsmanship belonging to the prosperous and glorious days of the old Canton. The expensive ingredients it uses, the sophisticated craftsmanship this tiny bite employs talks about a vanishing and rare handmade dim sum culture of Hong Kong. It also tells a tale of the golden age of tea houses when they competed against each other and during the process generated 80, making up a significant part of modern Chinese dining culture.

Black Sesame Roll 46

Origin and History The origin of this simple yet delicious dessert is truly not traceable. The early records in the Qing Dynasty shows that it is one of the dessert served in the royal “Manchu–Han Imperial Feast'', a banquet organised by the Qing emperor with traditional dishes from all nations under the emperor’s peace aiming to foster racial harmony in the multi-racial empire. Having the privilege of being listed on the menu of the feast is a hallmark of the cultural significance of the black sesame roll in Chinese dining culture. Black Sesame Roll is often thought to be a variation of black sesame cake, a traditional dessert of the Chaozhou region in Guangdong, because they use the same ingredient and mixture but with different shapes. The dish was very popular in Hong Kong Tea House in the last century as a dessert because of its inexpensive and cheerful price.

Making Craftsmanship Main Ingredient Black Sesame, Sugar, Water Chestnut Flour Steps 1. The black sesame must be fried in a big wok with water added in order to refine the flavour. Raw sesame has a very bitter flavour and so it must be fried thoroughly to clear off that smell. 2. Then the black sesame and the water chestnut flour will be mixed into a porridge that will then be stirred with sugar. 3. The mixture must then be filtered to filter out the residue. This process is to ensure that the product will be smooth. 4. The porridge will then be poured on a flat basin and steamed so that it can curdle. 5. Then, it should be cooled down and you will get a thin she sesame curdle. It must immediately be rolled up since the heat of the steam could soften its texture and make it more sticky and easy to roll. 6. The product should be refrigerated and we are all set.

Cultural Significance In modern times, black sesame rolls have disappeared in most teahouses in Hong Kong because of the complicated craftsmanship involved and that some steps such as rolling of the sesame curdle cannot be replaced by machine. Some tea houses have attempted to mechanise the frying process but the product lacks that smooth touch that characterises the hand-made version. This is a very traditional dessert served in many old teahouses. Due to their appearance, they are often nicknamed “film-roll” because their black, round appearance truly resembles the film we used in cameras back in the old days. It is one of the collective memories of the last generation of Hong Kong people.

Dim Sum Quiz 50

Are you the Master of Dim Sum? Many people in Hong Kong have recognized themselves as an avid eater of Dim Sum. However, how many of you actually know your Dim Sum? Why don't we take a short test and see how smart you are about your Dim sum! There are 6 levels in this quiz: Level 0 - Dim Sum 101 Level 1 - Dim Sum Fundamentals Level 2 - Dim Sum Elementary Level 3 - Dim Sum Advanced Level 4 - Dim Sum Master Class Level 5 - Dim Sum Extreme Score: 0-100 Dim Sum Noob 101-250 Dim Sum Rookie 250-400 Dim Sum Sophomore 400-550 Dim Sum Junior 550-700 Dim Sum Senior 700-880 Dim Sum Master 51

Repost your quiz score on Instagram and tag @dimsum.oldseafood!

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黃店善用禁堂食時段義教同路人整點心盼授手藝留住港式味道 . CitizenNews. Retrieved from https://www.hkcnews.com/article/37257/ 徐記廚房點心 - 手工點心 -37351/ 黃店善用禁堂食時段-義教同路人整點心-盼授手藝留住港式味道 Chu, O. K. (2021, May 12). 【中環新食店】老港式茶館「福和雍點心茶館」中西合璧+懷舊洋行裝潢罕見傳統手工點心講究茶藝文化. Headline Daily. Retrieved Cheng, C. Y. (2021, January 16).

from https://paper.stheadline.com/headline/index.php? product=Headline&issue=20220325&vol=2022032502&token=096469b3d914763f& page=1 Das, M. (2020). Painting a picture: the skill of a dim sum chef. Great British Chefs. Retrieved from https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/features/dim-sum-pastry-chefshistory

References dela Cruz, J., Punzalan, M. E., Ramos, S., Reyes, R., & Barcelon, E. (2013). Consumer perception on safety and sensory evaluation of street-vended pork Dim Sum (Siomai). Asian Journal of Food and Agro-Industry, 6(6), 290-295. Gao Yu Zang, Gung Bo Hung. (2000). Guang Zhou Mei Shi. Guangzhou: Guang zhou di tu chu ban she.

懷舊雞球大包經歷香港時代變遷

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我恒我訴：消失的點心

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添好運北角店被搣星老闆嘆學徒不上進：爛蝦餃

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PRESERVING THE HERITAGE OF HANDMADE DIM SUM

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