Dim sum facts for kids

Dim sum

Dim sum is a special style of Chinese food. It is often served for breakfast or lunch. People enjoy many small dishes, usually with tea. Think of it like a meal with lots of tiny, delicious snacks!

What is Dim Sum?

Dim sum means "touch the heart" in Chinese. These small dishes are meant to be light and tasty. They are often served in bamboo steamers or on small plates. You can find many different kinds of dim sum. Some are steamed, some are fried, and some are baked.

A Delicious Tradition

Eating dim sum is a popular tradition, especially in Guangdong province in China and in Hong Kong. This meal is often called "yum cha," which means "drinking tea." Families and friends gather to enjoy the food and chat. Servers push carts around the restaurant. You can pick the dishes you want right from the cart.

Types of Dim Sum

There are hundreds of different dim sum dishes! Here are some popular ones:

• Siu mai: These are small, open-topped dumplings. They are usually filled with pork and shrimp.
• Har gow: These are clear, steamed dumplings. They have a tasty shrimp filling.
• Char siu bao: These are fluffy, steamed buns. They are filled with sweet barbecue pork.
• Spring rolls: These are crispy, fried rolls. They can have vegetables or meat inside.
• Cheong fun: These are soft rice noodle rolls. They are often filled with shrimp or beef.
• Egg tarts: These are sweet pastries. They have a creamy egg custard in the middle.

How Dim Sum is Served

Dim sum dishes are usually served in small portions. This lets you try many different things. They come on small wooden platters or in bamboo baskets. Most dim sum dishes are steamed. This makes them light and healthy. Some are fried, like spring rolls. Others are baked, like egg tarts.

Dim Sum Around the World

Dim sum started in China. But it is now popular all over the world. You can find dim sum restaurants in many countries. These include the United States, Canada, and Australia. It is also very popular in other parts of Asia. These include Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. Many grocery stores even sell frozen dim sum. This lets people enjoy it at home.

Images for kids

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  Chrysanthemum tea

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  A typical dining set for yum cha

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  A dim sum restaurant in Hong Kong

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  A light blue bill card (upper left) on a table of traditional family-style dim sum lunch dishes in a restaurant

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  Streetside dim sum food shop in Hong Kong

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  Frozen dim sum are widely available at convenience stores

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  Frozen dim sum in a grocery store in the United States

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  Express Dim sum Food truck, Canada Place, Vancouver, BC.