When you talk about oriental cuisine it's impossible not to think about dumplings. They may be small and insignificant, but through the years they have evolved and became part of the main menu in oriental cuisine restaurants.
According to India Times, the reason why these dumplings evolved is because of its health benefits and versatility.
In many restaurants and food shops like PA PA YA, Fatty Bao and others, you can commonly hear words like 'cheung fun', 'sui mai' and 'char sui' that are truly hard to pronounce but simply means one thing: dimsum. There is a big demand for dim sum these days as they're bite-size but with strong flavors and if steamed, has a various health benefits.
Dim sums originated from China teas houses and it was usually served from mid-morning to early-evening. This tradition still exists until today and the scope of its popularity became wider and more global. Dumplings are served in restaurants worldwide in the same bamboo steamers that they were originally served in. The versatility of this "small bite" has gone from small food shops to as big as famous five star restaurants.
In the health aspect, Dhvani Shah, a nutritionist shifted their view on the steamed dim sum. She said that foods cooked using this method doesn't have direct contact with water. Because of this reason, it helps retain the flavors, texture, color and nutrition.
When we steam food it ensures that the vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, essential oils and volatile micronutrients stay intact. These foods are cooked slowly and they are bioavailable or highly digestible. Not only this, but the color is enhanced and the visual appearance appeals to people's appetite.
It seems clear that people's predilection for small meals and a resurgence in Asian flavours make the dim sum a perfect option for Indians, who were already very appreciative of Chinese food. With endless options to be creative, diners can now also customise their meal each time they eat. In the end, it would perhaps be prudent to assume that the dim sum maybe more than the simple sum of its parts.
