Dim Sum

Dim sum is a Chinese light meal or brunch served with Chinese tea. Originally a Cantonese custom, dim sum is usually eaten from morning to late afternoon with family or friends.

Dim sum consists of a wide variety of dishes, from sweet to savoury. It has combinations of meat, vegetables, seafood, and fruit. It is usually served in a small bamboo basket (for steamed Dim Sum) or on a small dish.

Literally meaning 'to touch your heart', dim sum includes dumplings, steamed buns and rice rolls filled with prawns, meat or vegetables. Many dim sum restaurants also offer dishes of steamed green vegetables, roasted meats, congee porridge and other soups. It is known as yum cha when people eat out in a Chinese teahouse or a dim sum restaurant, and tea is always served along with dim sum.

Dim sum can be cooked by steaming and frying. The serving size is usually quite small and normally served as three or four pieces on one dish. This means everyone can try a wide variety of dishes.

Dim sum dishes can be ordered from a menu or sometimes the food is wheeled around on a mobile cart by waiters. Dim sum is served throughout China, particularly in Shanghai. For many southerners in China, yum cha is treated as a weekend family day out.

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