Knead the dough, fold it well, don’t over-steam: 5 tips for making delicious dim sums

Dim sums can be tricky to get right. So we got a chef to share his secrets with us. Read on for 5 tips on how to make sure your dim sums turn out delectable.

Dim sums – bite-sized steamed or fried savoury dumplings – are a much loved dish. They can contain various fillings – from veggies to prawns. Sameer Bhalekar, Executive Chef at Myxx, Mumbai, shows you how you can make the best dim sums at home:

1. Get the recipe right

The foundation of the perfect dim sum lies in the recipe. And to get the recipe right, good quality starch must be used. When mixing starch and water, the temperature of the warm water must be maintained. If it isn’t, the mixture cannot be wrapped in properly.

2. Knead your dough

Your dough needs to be kneaded. Stretching and massaging the dough allows it to be light and holds your filling in better.

3. The tips really matter

When folding a dim sum, it’s extremely important to use just the tips of your fingers rather than use your entire hand. If the dim sum isn’t folded well and tightly, it’ll open when steamed and all your hard work will go to waste.

A common mistake that many of us make is over steaming the dim sum. It’s crucial not to over-steam it as this causes your dim sum to be not only discoloured but also disturbs the texture.

5. Serve it right away

With all the hard work you put in, why leave your dim sum to be devoured for later? Serve it as soon as you’re done steaming it. Veg dim sums, for instance, contain water chestnuts which reduce the crunchiness when cold or re-steamed.

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