Dim sum

Dim sum is a large range of small Chinese dishes traditionally eaten in restaurants for brunch, most commonly associated with Cantonese cuisine, though similar dishes appear in other Chinese culinary traditions. The practice originated in the tenth century, when the city of Canton (now Guangzhou) saw a rise in commercial travel, leading many to frequent teahouses for small meals paired with tea, a custom called "yum cha." This tradition encompasses two concepts: "jat zung loeng gin," meaning "one cup, two pieces," which refers to serving two delicately made food items with tea, and "dim sum" itself, which translates literally to "touch the heart" and designates the small snacks that accompany the tea. Over time, teahouse owners added various dim sum offerings, and the practice evolved into modern yum cha.

Cuisine

Cantonese dim sum culture developed rapidly in the latter half of the nineteenth century in Guangzhou, originally based on local foods but later incorporating influences from other Chinese regions. Cantonese dim sum is known for its broad range of flavors, textures, cooking styles, and ingredients, and is classified into regular items, seasonal offerings, weekly specials, banquet dishes, holiday dishes, house signature dishes, travel-friendly items, and breakfast, lunch, and late-night snacks. Estimates suggest at least two thousand types of dim sum exist across China, though only about forty to fifty are commonly sold outside the country; over one thousand types originate from Guangdong alone, a diversity unmatched elsewhere in China. Cantonese dim sum has developed into a separate branch of cuisine, distinct from other Chinese food cultures that blend dim sum with local snacks.

History

Dim sum restaurants typically offer several dozen dishes, served from steam-heated carts, with tea considered as important as the food. Many restaurants begin serving dim sum as early as five in the morning, with traditional establishments serving until mid-afternoon, while some in Hong Kong and Guangdong offer it all day until late night. Modern variations include fusion dishes and visually appealing designs for social media, such as animal-shaped dumplings and buns.