How to Make Dim Sum at Home

With so many different kinds of dumplings and small bites included under the umbrella of ‘dim sum’, there are numerous ways to enjoy these much-loved treats at home.

For many of us, a taste of authentic dim sum comes from a trip to the Chinese restaurant but, once you know how, you can also make these delicious morsels yourself.

Check out our online oriental supermarket for all the ingredients and bamboo steamers you’ll need before having a go at our favourite dim sum recipes below.

What is Dim Sum?

Dim sum incorporates various small plates of dumplings and other small snacks, which are shared between friends and family and are traditionally enjoyed with tea.

The origins of dim sum are thought to lie in the Guangdong region and the teahouse culture of Hong Kong. When ordering or making dim sum, you will find countless types available with various doughs and fillings to make these iconic dishes.

Two of the most common and well-known versions of dim sum include jiaozi dumplings and char siu bao buns.

What are Jiaozi Dumplings?

These Chinese dumplings are made with a delicate dough and are typically fried or steamed. They tend to include a filling of ground pork and various vegetables to create a mouth-watering bite. These dumplings also pair wonderfully with a range of dipping sauces. If you don’t have time to make the dough from the recipe below, you can use pre-made wonton wrappers.

Jiaozi Dumpling Ingredients

For the jiaozi dough:

• 380g flour
• 300 ml cold water
• ¼ tsp salt

For the jiaozi dumpling filling:

• 230g ground pork or beef
• 150g napa cabbage, finely chopped
• 60g bamboo shoots, shredded
• 2 slices ginger, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1 tsp salt

How to Make Jiaozi Dumpling

1. Add the flour and salt to a bowl. Slowly pour in the water and stir as you go until it forms a smooth dough.
2. Knead the dough so that it forms a smooth ball. Place the dough in a bowl, cover with cling film and leave for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, add the meat to a bowl and pour over the soy sauce, salt and rice wine. Stir together.
4. Add the cabbage, bamboo shoots, ginger, garlic, spring onion and sesame oil and mix again.
5. Divide the dough into 60 pieces, rolling each piece out to form a circle of about 3 inches wide.
6. Add one tablespoon of filling to the centre of each wrapper.
7. Dampen the edges of the dumpling with water and fold the dough over the filling to create a semi-circle shape. Pinch the edges of the dough to seal it together.
8. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the dumplings in and stir gently so they don’t stick. Add a cup of cold water, then bring to the boil again.
9. Remove the dumplings and pan-fry them until they get a golden, crispy exterior!
10. Serve with a delicious dipping sauce, like soy or sesame.

What are Char Siu Bao?

These steamed pork buns have a delicious sweet and savoury taste, with an incredible fluffy dough texture. They require a bit of time and effort to make but are certainly worth it in the end! As they take longer to make, you may want to make these buns in bigger batches and freeze some, ready for a quick and tasty snack next time you’re craving dim sum.

Char Siu Bao Bun Ingredients

For the bun dough:

• 1 pack of dried yeast (1/4 ounce)
• 580g flour
• 50g sugar
• 240 ml water, lukewarm
• 120ml water, boiling
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the char siu bao filling:

• 230g barbequed pork, cubed
• 1 spring onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp sesame seed oil

How to Make Char Siu Bao Bun

1. To make the dough, dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Add 120g of the flour and mix together.
2. Cover this with a cloth and leave it to rise for an hour until there are bubbles on the surface.
3. In a separate bowl, add the sugar, vegetable oil and boiling water, mixing until the sugar dissolves. Wait for the water to cool a little before adding to the yeast mixture.
4. Add the remaining flour to the mixture and stir together.
5. Lightly flour a surface and knead the dough. Put the dough into a larger, greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Leave it to rise in a warm place for about two hours – it should double in size.
6. While you wait for the dough to rise, prepare the filling. Start by heating the oil in a wok and stir fry the garlic and spring onion.
7. Add the pork to the wok and stir fry for 1 minute before pouring in the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar.
8. In a bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together. Pour this into the wok and stir fry quickly to glaze the pork. Set the pork aside to cool.
9. After two hours, knead the dough on a floured surface to form a sausage shape with a diameter of about two inches.
10. Slice the roll at one-inch intervals, so you have lots of balls of dough. Flatten each piece and roll them into circles of about three inches wide.
11. Brush each piece of dough with sesame oil and place 1-2 tablespoons of filling into the middle of each dough round.
12. Pleat the edges of the dough to gather it and twist it at the top to close it.
13. Place the buns on a tray covered in baking paper and cover with a towel, leaving to rise again for an hour.
14. Finally, put them in a steamer and steam over boiling water for 10 minutes.

Making a dish of dim sum can sometimes take a while, but the process itself is easy enough with a bit of guidance! If you don’t have time to get creative in the kitchen, browse our range of frozen dim sum for an instant taste of China at home.