dim sim

A real-deal dan dan noodle recipe that stays true to the authentic Sichuan flavor. This post covers all the key ingredients and includes a super rich and balanced sauce to recreate the classic dish that tastes like China.

Dan Dan Noodles (担担面)

sesame paste ((or unsweetened natural peanut butter))

soy sauce ((or soy sauce))

Chinkiang vinegar

garlic (, finely minced)

green onion (, finely minced)

honey ((or agave syrup))

Sichuan peppercorns (, toasted and grounded (*footnote 2))

peanut oil ((or vegetable oil))

lb (450 g) ground pork

ginger

green onions (, chopped)

black beans (, rinsed and chopped)

Sui Mi Ya Cai ((Sichuan preserved mustard greens))

Shaoxing wine ((or dry sherry))

sugar

peanuts (, crushed)

oz (400 g) Dan Dan noodles ((or thin wheat noodles))

small batch leafy green vegetables

Homemade chili oil (,

Whisk the sesame paste and light soy sauce together in a bowl until fully incorporated. Add the Chinkiang vinegar. Continue stirring until mixed. Then mix in the garlic, green onion, honey, and Sichuan peppercorns.

Prepare sauce

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the pork. Cook and stir until the surface is lightly browned.

Turn to medium heat. Add the ginger, green onion, fermented black beans, Sui Mi Ya Cai, cooking wine, and sugar. Cook and chop the pork into small pieces, until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork turns a dark brown color. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Prepare the pork topping

Cook the noodles according to instructions.

Briefly blanch the leafy green vegetables, drain, and set aside.

Prepare the noodles

For each noodle bowl, add 1/4 cup of noodle sauce. Add the chili oil according to your taste. Add some noodles, then top with a few spoonfuls of the cooked pork and green veggies. Garnish with peanut crumbles and chopped green onion. Sprinkle with a pinch of toasted ground Sichuan peppercorn, if you like the numbing taste.

Serve hot or cold.

To assemble the noodle bowls

A bowl of wonton soup is so hearty that I can eat one at any time of day and in any season of the year. Even though the dish looks intimidating to make, it is surprisingly easy once you try it out.

Wonton Soup

pack wonton wrappers ((80 wrappers))

lbs (230 g) ground lean pork

lbs (230 g) peeled shrimp, chopped into small pieces

green onions (, finely chopped)

salt

sesame oil

chicken stock

hot broth

shrimp

seaweed

chicken bouillon

soy sauce (,

baby bok choy (, cut to bite-size (or 4 cups baby spinach))

cilantro, chopped ((Optional))

Without a food processor: Combine ground pork, shrimp, ginger, green onion, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt and sesame oil in a big bowl. Mix well with a fork until everything combines well together and the mixture feels a bit sticky.

With a food processor or a blender: coarsely chop the ginger and green onion. Add all the filling ingredients except the shrimp. Mix until it forms a silky paste. Add the shrimp and blend again, until the shrimp are finely chopped but don’t become a paste.

Make the filling

To make wontons, place a wonton wrapper in one hand, scoop a teaspoon of wonton filling and place it near the narrow side of the wonton wrapper (you can add more filling to the wonton if you like, as long as you can still wrap it). Fold the narrow side over the filling, then roll the filling all the way through the other side of the wrapper. Bind both ends and press together to lock the filling inside the wrapper. Brush a thin layer of water onto the wonton wrapper and press the ends together.

Make one wonton at a time, and line up all the wontons on a big wooden cutting board. If you aren’t going to boil the wontons immediately, use a damp paper towel (or cheesecloth) to cover the wontons to prevent them from drying out.

If you aren’t going to boil the wontons the same day, place them in an airtight container with several layers of wet paper towels on the bottom. This way, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Wrap the wonton

Combine the chicken stock, ginger, and soy sauce in a pot. Bring to a boil. Let boil for 10 minutes. Turn to lowest heat to keep warm and start cooking wontons (see below).

Prepare 8 medium-sized bowls. Add the cooked wontons and bok choy. Add 2 tablespoons green onion, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil into each bowl. Pour in 1 and 1/2 cups hot broth. Garnish with cilantro and chili oil, if using.

Serve hot.

(Option 1) Make the chicken soup base

To prepare 1 serving of wonton soup base, add a big spoon of cilantro, 1 tablespoon papery dried shrimps, a generous piece of dried seaweed, 1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon, and some baby bok choy into a big bowl. Repeat the process to prepare the rest of the soup base in the other serving bowls. Cook wontons (see below).

To make 1 serving of wonton soup, use a ladle to transfer cooked wontons, bok choy, and the hot soup into a serving bowl with all the ingredients from the previous step. Drizzle 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sesame oil into the bowl and give it a gentle stir. The soup should be amber-colored. Add extra soy sauce or salt if the soup is not salty enough. Scatter green onion on top. Garnish with cilantro and chili oil, if using.

(Option 2) Make the street vendor style soup base

To boil the wontons, heat a big pot of water until boiling. Add 10 to 20 wontons at a time and boil over medium heat until wontons are floating on the surface of the water. Continue to boil until the wrappers are swollen, around 1 to 2 minutes for small wontons and 2 to 3 minutes for bigger ones. Take a wonton out with a slotted spoon and split it with a chopstick or fork. If the wonton is cooked through, stop heat immediately and transfer the wontons to individual serving bowls. If not, continue to boil until cooked through.

Once you’ve cooked the wontons, add the bok choy. Let cook until tender. Remove from the pot, drain well, and set aside.

Boiled the wonton

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add wontons. Stir gently to prevent from sticking. Cook until bringing the water to a boil again. Turn to medium-low heat. Cover the pot with a small gap on one side, to prevent spilling. Continue boiling for 2 minutes (3 minutes for larger wontons). Stand beside the pot the whole time to monitor the broth. If the broth starts to spill, uncover and stir, and replace the cover. Uncover and continue cooking for another minute, or until the wontons are cooked through.

To cook frozen wontons

View original recipe at: http://omnivorescookbook.com/recipes/wonton-soup

How to Make Wonton Soup

The real-deal recipe that yields the most scrumptious hot sauce with hearty wontons.

Sichuan Spicy Wonton in Red Oil (红油抄手)

wonton wrappers (, thawed (or 40 large wonton wrappers))

water

green onions (, sliced)

ginger (, minced)

Sichuan peppercorns

chili oil

soy sauce

garlic (, grated)

lbs (225 g) pork (, minced)

cornstarch

white pepper powder

Chopped cilantro, toasted ground Sichuan peppercorn flakes, and toasted sesame seeds

Combine all the ingredients for the aromatic water in a small bowl. Stir to mix well and let infuse for 20 minutes. Strain and discard all the solid ingredients.

Prepare the aromatic water

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to mix well.

Prepare the red oil sauce

Add the minced pork into a medium-sized bowl. Add the aromatic water, egg, cornstarch, and white pepper powder. Mix until it forms a smooth and sticky paste.

Work on the wontons one at a time. Place about half a teaspoon of filling (or 1 teaspoon filling for bigger wontons) on the lower third of the wrapper. Fold the bottom side over the filling, then roll the filling all the way across to the other side of the wrapper. Brush a thin layer of egg white on one end of the wonton wrapper. Bind both ends and press them together to lock the filling inside the wrapper. Place on a big plate, a finger’s width apart.

When you’ve finished 10 to 15 wontons, cover them with a wet paper towel to prevent them from drying out.

If you are not going to cook and serve the wontons immediately, you can store them in the fridge for a day, or freeze them for up to a month. Seal the tray of wontons with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. When the wontons are completely frozen, you can transfer them to an airtight ziplock bag to free up freezer space.

Make the wontons

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the wontons, 20 at a time. Stir gently with a spatula constantly, to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. Cook until the wontons are floating on top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer 7 to 8 wontons into each bowl. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sauce, and 2 tablespoons of the hot broth used to boil the wontons, and serve.

Mix the wontons well to coat them with sauce. Enjoy!

Cook and assemble

Store

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add wontons. Stir gently to prevent from sticking. Cook until bringing the water to a boil again. Turn to medium low heat. Cover the pot with a small gap on one side, to prevent from boiling over. Continue boiling for 2 minutes (3 minutes for larger wontons). Stand beside the pot the entire time and monitor the broth. If the broth starts to boil over, uncover and stir, then replace the cover. Uncover, continue cooking for another minute, or until the wontons are cooked through.

To cook frozen wonton

Learn how to make extra tender and flavorful Chinese turnip cakes that are loaded with goodies. They taste way better than the restaurant version. This dim sum classic is a must-have for Chinese New Year and a great appetizer for any Chinese dinner party.

Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go, 萝卜糕)

shiitake mushrooms

lbs (900 g) daikon radish

(4.5 oz / 120 g) Chinese sausages (, diced)

150 g (1 cup) rice flour

Soy sauce ((to taste))

green onions ((Optional))

Sriracha (, or other hot sauce (Optional))

Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp separately with tap water and gently rub them to remove any dirt. Place each ingredient into a different bowl. Add hot water to cover. Soak for 15 minutes, or until the ingredients turn soft. Drain and dice into small pieces.

Peel the daikon radish and grate it into thin strips.

Prep

Add the Chinese sausage into a large nonstick skillet and heat it over medium heat. Cook until the sausage is lightly browned and some oil is rendered off, 5 minutes or so.

Add the shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the green onions. Stir a few times to release the fragrance. Transfer everything to a plate.

Add the daikon radish and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium heat until translucent  and soft but not browned, 12 minutes or so. Once done, taste the daikon to make sure it&#039;s fully cooked through and turned very soft. Transfer the cooked radish into a big bowl using a pair of tongs. Squeeze out as much juice as you can, back into the pan. Once done, transfer all the juice from the pan to a measuring cup. Then add more water until it reaches 1 cup (no need to add extra water if you end up with a full cup). Rest the liquid until it&#039;s slightly cooled, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add rice flour and the cooled daikon cooking liquid into the bowl with the cooked radish. Add the sugar, salt, and white pepper. Stir to mix well. It will form a very runny batter.

Pour the batter back into the pan you used to cook the radish. Cook over medium-low heat and stir constantly, until the mixture has thickened just enough to draw a line on the bottom of the pan, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add back the cooked Chinese sausage, dried shrimp and mushrooms. Stir to mix well.

Cook

Prepare 1 to 2 glass tupperware or baking dishes that can fit into your steamer. I used two 4.5” x 4.5” (11cm x 11 cm) glass containers to cook two batches. If you have a large wok or steamer, you might be able to fit an 8” x 8” (20cm x 20cm) baking pan in it. You’ll only need to cook one batch in this case. If you’ll be cooking in two batches, cover the uncooked batter with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Grease the glass tupperware with oil, so the turnip cake will come off easily later. Transfer the mixture into the tupperware, about 1.5” (4 cm) thick

Set up your steamer by adding water to the pan and bringing it to a boil. Add the steaming rack with the turnip cake container. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat, for 1 hour, until the turnip cake is cooked through. You can test the doneness by inserting a knife into the cake and it should come out clean. If your batter is slightly thicker or thinner, you might need to adjust the cooking time by adding or subtracting 10 minutes.

Once done, remove the container from the steamer and set it aside to cool. Once the container is no longer hot, transfer it to the fridge. Let the turnip cake set until it has cooled completely. I highly recommend resting it overnight before serving. I’ve tried resting it 2 hours, and the turnip cake was a bit too soft and difficult to slice.

To remove the fully chilled turnip cake, use a knife to loosen the edges from the container, then turn the container upside down. The turnip cake should come out in one piece.

Assemble &amp; steam

To serve, cut the turnip cakes into 1/4” (1 cm) thick pieces. Brown both sides in a heated skillet coated with a thin layer of oil until heated through and the surface turns golden.

To store, transfer the steamed turnip cakes (without pan-frying) into an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw the frozen turnip cakes first, and pan fry them before serving.

Reheat &amp; Serve

No matter whether you want to learn the authentic Chinese way to make steamed fish or just want to spend a few minutes getting dinner ready, I’ve got you covered!

Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce (Steamed Version)

black beans

garlic (, minced)

vegetable oil

green beans

fish

thumb ginger (, minced)

To prepare the steamer, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Rinse fermented black beans with tap water, drain, and transfer to a bowl. Use the back of a spoon to smash the beans. Add garlic, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and sugar. Mix well. Or you can skip this step by using pre-made black bean sauce.

Choose a plate that is big enough to hold all the fish fillets, can fit in your steamer, and has a bit depth so the juice from steaming won’t spill to the pot. Spread the tofu in the center, and spread green beans around the tofu without too much overlapping. Lightly sprinkle salt over the green beans and the tofu. Arrange the fish fillets on top of the tofu. Spread the black bean sauce evenly over the fish. Place the plate into the steamer with boiling water. Steam covered for 8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

Carefully transfer the plate onto the kitchen counter with your oven mitts on. If the plate is difficult to lift from the steamer, leave it there. Spread the ginger and and green onions onto the fish.

Heat vegetable oil in a small saucepan until it just starts to smoke. Immediately pour the oil onto the fish fillets to cook the green onions and ginger. You should hear a vibrant sizzle.

Transfer the fish, tofu, and green beans to serving plate, pour the remaining juice over.

Serve warm as main.

Lightly charring the halved dim sims on the barbecue gives them a delicious crispiness. This pork mince and prawn recipe is perfect for weekend parties.

Barbecued pork and prawn dim sims

green shallots

pork mince

raw prawn meat, finely chopped

purple wombok

(about 30 grams) water chestnuts, finely chopped

dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked, finely chopped

garlic clove, crushed

tsp finely grated fresh ginger

tsp Chinese five spice

tsp sesame oil

tbsp cornflour

egg wonton wrappers

lemon juice

fresh small red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped

tsp caster sugar

The dumpling filling has a well-balanced texture with veggies, tofu, and rice vermicelli. It’s seasoned with plenty of aromatics, soy sauce, and just a dash of curry powder to enhance its richness.&nbsp;

Homemade Vegan Dumplings (素菜锅贴)

mushrooms

wood ear mushrooms ((or 1/2 cup minced bamboo shoots) (*Footnote 2))

pack dried rice vermicelli ((*Footnote 3))

cabbage (, shredded)

carrot (, shredded (about 4 carrots))

peanut oil ((or vegetable oil, separated, and more to fry the dumplings))

soy sauce (, separated)

curry powder

maple syrup

onions

dumpling wrappers

Add the shiitake mushrooms to a medium sized bowl and add at least 1 cup of hot water to cover. Rehydrate until the mushrooms turn completely soft, 30 minutes or so. Gently rinse with tap water and drain. Remove the tough stems and mince the mushrooms. It yields about 1/4 cup of loosely packed minced mushrooms.

Add the dried wood ear mushrooms to a medium sized bowl and add at least 1 cup of hot water to cover. Rehydrate until the mushrooms turn completely soft, 30 minutes or so. Gently rinse with tap water and drain. Remove the tough ends, if any, and mince the mushrooms if they are big, or thinly shred them if small. It should yield about 1/2 cup of loosely packed minced mushrooms.

Cook the dried rice vermicelli until tender according to the package instructions. Drain and and measure 1 cup of cooked vermicelli. Coarsely chop them to about 1/2-inch (1 cm) length pieces.

Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil into a large nonstick pan and heat over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.

Add the rehydrated and chopped shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and carrots. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and curry powder. Cook and stir for another 2 minutes, until the cabbage turns tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer everything to a big plate to cool.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into the same pan. Add the tofu. Stir and cook the tofu for 1 minute. Further break up the tofu into smaller chunks with your spatula while cooking. Add the cooked vermicelli, the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce and the maple syrup. Cook and stir until all the liquid has evaporated, 2 minutes or so. Transfer everything into a big mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes.

Once the tofu and the cabbage mixtures have cooled to a warm temperature, add the cabbage mixture into the same mixing bowl with the tofu. Add the green onion. Stir to mix well.

Prepare the filling

Prepare your working station by placing the dumpling filling, wrappers, and a large tray on your table. Fill a small bowl with water and set it aside.

Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dumpling filling and place it in the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger into the bowl of water and use it to wet the edge of the wrapper. Hold the dumpling with one hand and start sealing the edges with the other hand. After folding, press the edges again to seal well. You can use any method to fold the dumplings as long as you’re comfortable with it.

(Note, If you’re wrapping dumplings using homemade wrappers, you can add more filling, as much as you can handle, when you fold the dumplings. You also won’t need the water to wet the wrapper edge if you’re using homemade wrappers.)

Wrap dumplings

Now you can freeze these dumplings if you don’t cook them immediately. Place them onto a baking tray and seal them in with a plastic wrap. You can store the dumplings in the freezer for up to 1 month. Once the dumplings are completely frozen, after about a day, you can transfer them to a gallon zipper bag to save freezer space.

Storage

Cook the dumplings in batches.

Option 1 - Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add dumplings in a single layer. Cook until the bottom side turns golden. Add 2 tablespoons water and cover. Cook until the dumplings are cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Option 2 - To get a crispier result, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the dumplings in a single layer. Cook until the bottom side turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the dumplings, add 2 tablespoons water, and cover. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottom turns golden brown.

Immediately transfer the dumplings to a plate. Cook the rest of the dumplings according to the same method.

You can serve the dumplings immediately with dumpling dipping sauce or a simple drizzle of Chinkiang vinegar.

Cook the dumplings

The best way I’ve found to heat up cooked dumplings, by far, is to use an air fryer. It crisps up the dumplings well without using any more oil. Alternatively, you can reheat the dumplings on the stovetop, using a nonstick pan with a thin layer of oil, covered.

Reheating

The method is almost the same as cooking freshly made dumplings. But you will need to cook them covered for 2 to 3 minutes longer. I also add a bit more water, about 1/4 cup, to make sure it generates enough steam to heat the filling through.

Cooking frozen dumplings

This homemade soy sauce chicken has silky tender meat with a deep savory flavor. Learn how easy it is to make this Cantonese dim sum at home and even achieve restaurant taste. {Gluten-Free adaptable}To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos to replace the soy sauce, and use dry sherry instead of Shaoxing wine.

Real-Deal Soy Sauce Chicken (豉油鸡, See Yao Gai)

lbs / 1.8 kg whole chicken

soy sauce ((Optional))

brown sugar ((or granulated sugar))

Top 11 dim sim recipes from across the web

The most viewed dim sim recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Dan Dan Noodles (担担面)

Wonton Soup

Sichuan Spicy Wonton in Red Oil (红油...

Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go, 萝卜糕...

Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce ...

Barbecued pork and prawn dim sims

Homemade Vegan Dumplings (素菜锅贴)

Real-Deal Soy Sauce Chicken (豉油鸡, S...

Baked BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Wonton Soup

Pineapple Buns (Bolo Bao)

Top 11 dim sim recipes from across the web

The most viewed dim sim recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Dan Dan Noodles (担担面)

Wonton Soup

Sichuan Spicy Wonton in Red Oil (红油...

Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go, 萝卜糕...

Steamed Fish with Black Bean Sauce ...

Barbecued pork and prawn dim sims

Homemade Vegan Dumplings (素菜锅贴)

Real-Deal Soy Sauce Chicken (豉油鸡, S...

Baked BBQ Pork Buns (Char Siu Bao)

Wonton Soup

Pineapple Buns (Bolo Bao)

The most viewed dim sim recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine