Dim sim

For the Chinese brunch, see Dim sum.

A steamed dim sim.

A dim sim is a Chinese-inspired meat dumpling-style snack food popular in Australia. The dish normally consists of a large ball of pork or other meat, cabbage and flavourings, encased in a wrapper similar to that of a traditional shumai dumpling. They are usually deep-fried or steamed, but can be barbecued. Dim sims differ from typical Chinese dumplings in that they are often much larger, have a thicker skin and are shaped more robustly.^[1] They are primarily sold in Fish and chip shops, service stations, corner stores and Chinese or Asian takeaway outlets in Australia.

History

Dim sims were developed in Melbourne by Chinese chef William Wing Young for his restaurant "Wing Lee". According to Young's daughter, celebrity chef Elizabeth Chong, her father was the first to create the popular snack's style and shape in 1945, and to begin manufacturing them in commercial quantities^[2]:

"He chose the thick skin for ease of transport; he used to deliver them in his Chevy to the football where he set up in competition with the Four-and-Twenty pie. Before long, his factory was producing thousands of them for sale throughout Australia.

Dim Sims are typically served with soy sauce.

The dim sim has become a part of Australian culture, and is considered by many locals as an Australian food.^{[citation needed]} The term 'dim sim' has planted itself so firmly into Australian English that even the traditional smaller Chinese-style dumplings are wrongly referred to as such. An Australian colloquial term for a dim sim is "dimmy".^[3][4]

Chinese view dim sims as Westernised food, as the dim sim has very strong gingery taste to it that is uncommon in authentic Chinese food. Also, the deep fried version has a skin very unlike the skin of deep fried authentic Chinese food. Despite this, Dim Sims are primarily found in Chinese takeaway outlets as well as fish and chip shops.

Variants

There are four variants of the dim sim commonly found in takeaway stores today. These are described briefly below.

Confusion Dim Sim A mixture of all types, including meat and garlic.

Tofu Dim Sim This is an unusual variety found at Japanese take away in Sydney and Canberra.

Meat Dim Sim This is the regular and most common variety. It may be served steamed or deep fried and is usually slightly cheaper than other varieties. The filling is mostly a mixture of ground pork and lamb/mutton. When folded correctly, one end of the meat dim sim is left slightly open and the overall appearance is a cylindrical shape.

Garlic Dim Sim The garlic, or Hong Kong dim sim is the most strongly flavoured dim sim. It is much rounder in comparison to vegetable or meat dim sims and is fried to a distinctive dark golden brown colour. The overall size is similar, or perhaps slightly larger than the meat dim sim.

Chicken Dim Sim Larger than the meat dim sim, it contains chicken mince and cabbage and is folded to resemble more of a parcel shape.

Vegetable Dim Sim This is the largest dim sim available and is nearly twice the size of a meat dim sim, and in comparison is quite soft to touch, even after deep frying. It is mostly cabbage and carrot, but may include other ingredients such as noodles. Vegetable dim sims are unlikely to be served steamed.

South Melbourne Market Dim Sim A variant of the 'Garlic Dim Sim' sold originally in the South Melbourne Market, now often sold in takeaway shops and fish and chip shops along side the regular Meat Dim Sim.

References

1. ^ "Dim Sims". Only Melbourne. http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=10530. Retrieved 2008-06-25. 
2. ^ Great Australian Chefs - Elizabeth Chong bio - Mietta & Friends
3. ^ http://clubwah.wordpress.com/2009/11/01/how-do-you-abbreviate-dim-sims/
4. ^ http://www.southerncrossdeli.co.uk/marathon-dim-sims-dimmies-15kg-bag-123-p.asp

External links

• Australian Flavour - Recipe