To celebrate my birthday, we went to eat Dim Sum with my grandparents. Dim Sum, also referred to as Yum Cha, is a cuisine that originated in China's Guangdong region and is made up of many small Cantonese dishes. Yum Cha literally translates to "Drink Tea" because Dim Sum wasn't intended to be a full-on meal. The reason that it is made up of many small dishes is that it was meant as a light snack to accompany drinking tea for busy travelers along the Silk Road. However, it has evolved throughout the years to become a common mainstream meal and is now served all over the world. If you're ever in the San Gabriel Valley of California, make sure to try some of their amazing Dim Sum restaurants. I recommend checking out Grand Harbor!
The food shown in the photo is potstickers from my Grandpa's hometown in Chaozhou (Chiuchow), a city in the Eastern Guangdong province in China. I've had Dim Sum my entire life, but this was my first time trying these potstickers. To my surprise, the skin was much thicker and chewier than regular dumplings and the filling inside had a much nuttier flavor. After talking to my Grandpa and Uncle, I learned that Chaochou-style cuisine tends to use more exquisite and healthier ingredients. This results in lighter and more natural-tasting foods, just like these potstickers. 9/10 BUSSINS
I also had some of my favorite Dim Sum dishes today! My #1 go-to shown in the photo below is Soy Sauce Steamed Fish. The light sweet soy sauce and the green onions always perfectly combine together and serve as a great coat to the silky fish. I can literally eat an entire one of these myself accompanied by a bowl of rice. The 2nd photo is Cheung Fun, one of my Dim Sum comfort foods. Cheung Fun is a streamed rice noodle that is served in a similar sauce to the steamed fish. It's often filled with pork and seafood and has a smooth and chewy texture. It's very satisfying! On the right is my Dad's favorite: Turnip Cake. Although called Turnip cake, it is neither made from Turnips nor sweet, but it is a mix of shredded radish and rice flour. It has a savory taste and is often served in cube or rectangle shapes. I give this lunch a total 15/10 BUSSINS! It was an absolute SMACK.
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