5 Essential Tools for Cooking Dim Sum at Home

Tap to Read ➤ Mukta Gaikwad

Dim sums are a great way of eating tasty food the healthy way. Find out what are the important tools required to make these delicious dim sums at home.

To enjoy dim sums in the best way possible, steam them using a bamboo steamer. In case you cannot find one, you can also use a metallic steamer or also steam it in a microwave.

Traditionally, dim sums were Cantonese inventions for travelers and rural farmers who needed tea houses to rest and eat. These little morsels take their inspiration from yum cha , which means drinking tea. To put it simply, it is quite a Cantonese version of high tea.

However, these delicious morsels, carefully crafted with rice flour and meat, have transformed into a faster and quicker dining or eating experience. As it has made a successful entry into the food world, as a global food, it has undergone several variations to suit local taste buds.

Despite its modernization, the basic method of making dim sums remains the same. Dim sums are steamed or fried. Depending on the method of cooking, the equipment required to cook them also changes.

Essential Tools for Cooking Dim Sum

Steamer

A steamer is a must-have if you intend to cook dumplings. A bamboo steamer is essentially an equipment with many uses.

This traditional-layered steamer allows you to cook multiple things at the same time. The bamboo weave allows the air to filter through the layers, thus, preventing the food from overheating. At the same time, the bamboo absorbs excess of moisture. The food can be served directly in these steamers.

Wok

A wok is quintessentially an Asian cooking utensil.

It is one huge vessel that is generally used to stir fry veggies. Its depth allows you to cook in larger quantities, and its broad surface ensures that the food items can be stirred effortlessly. It is a very convenient utensil to own, and it simplifies cooking the filling for dim sums.

Knives

Every aspiring cook knows the need of a good knife set in the kitchen.

And when it comes to cooking dim sums, owning an authentic Asian knife set is very important. Dim sums demand you to mince the veggies and the meat really well. This is the main reason you need to have well-sharpened knives of all sizes. Right from chopping the meat to mincing it well, knives play an important role in making dim sums.

Straining Spoon

Dim sums are made by frying too. To make these dim sums, you need a straining spoon. This will come in handy when you are trying to cook them in a large batch.

A strainer is a huge spoon with lots of holes for the oil to drip out from. Thus, every time you scoop out the dim sums from the wok, the oil will get drained easily, leaving you with freshly cooked dim sums. Strainers are available in many shapes and sizes. Thus, you can easily pick one depending on your need.

Chopsticks

The last item on this list of essential tools to cook dim sums is chopsticks. You do not particularly require them while cooking, but they sure are important while serving and eating.

To eat dim sums the authentic Chinese way, chopsticks are totally required. However, if you do intend to cook the real way, cooking chopsticks are also available. Mastering the art of using chopsticks will allow you to maneuver the items in the wok easily so that they get cooked quickly.

So, these were the essential tools that are required to cook dim sums the proper way. Usually, a plate of dim sums would contain a great variety, but if you are cooking at home, there is no reason why you should not stick to making your favorite types.

Hope these items make the task of preparing dim sums easy for you so that you can enjoy them with some tea and great company!