Living in Malaysia, we have so many breakfast choices from various cultures. There are just so many options to choose from. However, my personal breakfast choice is none other than Dim Sum.
Famous for its breakfast and dim sum establishments, Ipoh has tons of restaurants that many from other states are willing to drive over just for a taste!
Origin Of Dim Sum
Dim Sum is actually a Cantonese dish, as they are known for their appreciation for delicious food. Hence, Dim Sum is their go-to traditional morning breakfast choice. This concept initially started from the idea of eating small dishes while sipping a cup of tea.
Dim Sum was initially exclusively made only for the Emperor of China and the royal family. However, as years passed, the Dim Sum was also enjoyed by the wealthy community in China. Now, it has become a common breakfast choice among Malaysian.
This delicious cuisine started from the Hong Kong and Guangdong province in China, and now it has made its way all over the globe, including Malaysia and Western countries.
The word Dim Sum actually means small bite-sized dishes in Cantonese. It is typically served in hot bamboo steamer baskets and transferred into small plates. Most people prefer to have their Dim Sum served in bamboo steamer baskets.
There are various types of Dim Sum. The dishes can be steamed, baked and fried. Therefore, there are plenty of Dim Sum choices in one breakfast serving. Due to its small size, this concept allows people to have more options for different Dim Sum dishes, which consists of different flavours and textures.
Typical & Famous Dim Sum Dishes
There are a few popular dishes that one must order when eating Dim Sum. The most ordered Dim Sum is called Siu Mai. Siu Mai is basically pork and shrimp dumpling. However, instead of wrapping it like typical dumpling or gyoza style, this dish is shaped in a small little cup and topped with fish roe or mushroom. It comes in various colours, the typical ones are yellow, green and purple.
Another famous Dim Sum dish that everyone must order is Har Gao. This is similar to Siu Mai, but the main filling is purely shrimp. Har Gao is wrapped in starchy dumpling skin and filled with shrimp and minced pork. The texture is slightly different from Siu Mai.
Congee or Zuk in Cantonese is another must-have. Usually, the Malaysian style of congee is the century egg congee, also known as Pei Dan Zuk. It is served with minced meat and century egg, paired with a few dashes of white peppers, and it is perfect!
The typical Hong Kong-style rice noodle rolls or Chee Cheong Fun is famous as well. It can have different fillings ranging from beef, eggs, pork or shrimp. Notably, most Malaysians generally prefer the shrimp filling. It is paired with a big splash of soy sauce and fried onions, with some chilli on the side, mix all of them, and the perfect Chee Cheong Fun dish is ready.
Where To Find Dim Sum?
For those who love to have a vast variety of Dim Sum dishes, it is better to eat at a proper Dim Sum restaurant instead of making it yourself. This is because it can be tedious and time-consuming to do this at home.
Here are a few restaurant suggestions for Dim Sum lovers:
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