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Everybody knows that dumplings form a crucial part of Chinese cuisine, and in particular, Cantonese Dim Sum. However, many people don’t know what makes individual varieties of dumpling so very special. Here we’ll tell you all you need to know about the parcels that carry such a variety of flavours to so many different palates.

The Steaming Process

These popular dumplings are staples of Dim Sum. Steaming in bamboo baskets gives the dumplings extra flavour. However, their shape must be immaculate at all times. Across China, different communities have different traditional ways of enjoying their Dim Sum. The diner has to be the first to pierce the dumpling’s wrapper in the way that they see fit. Dim Sum that break before they are pierced risk ruining that diner’s entire ‘Yum Cha’ experience. The following three dumplings are examples of our steamed Dim Sum.

People often ask whether there is a difference between Chinese and Cantonese cuisine. Cantonese cuisine refers to food eaten in South-eastern China, particularly Guangzhou (Canton) and the surrounding area, stretching down to Hong Kong. Dim Sum began as staples of Cantonese cooking, and swiftly became popular throughout the whole of China. We are hugely proud to offer our guests a world-leading selection of Dim Sum at Chung Ying. Here we will tell you the story of how Dim Sum became one of the most loved parts of Cantonese cuisine.

What are Dim Sum?

Dim Sum dumplings are usually made from rice flour and are filled with more delicious fillings than you could possibly imagine. There are savoury Dim Sum such as Char Siu Bao, which are delectable buns filled with BBQ pork. Then there are delicious ‘liquid gold’ buns from which an irresistibly sweet egg sauce erupts, as soon as you bite in. Traditionally, Dim Sum are steamed and served in bamboo baskets. Another variety of Dim Sum are Cheung Fun, which are made from rice noodles and look more similar to cannelloni than traditional dumplings.

There are so many different venues and events to which you can invite clients. There are so many different cuisines and culinary experiences that you can enjoy together. Here we’ll explain why the greatest experiences are brought to you by Chinese food. 

Embrace adventure

All business relationships involve some degree of risk. You and your clients need to navigate this risk together, trust each other, and work together to find creative ways to reach successful outcomes. What better way to prepare for this than to navigate the spicier options of Chung Ying’s enormous Dim Sum menu? You never know what you might taste next. From spicy chillies to sweet plum sauce, every flavour you could wish for has its own place on this wonderful menu, so that you can always balance out the spicier tastes with something sweeter. While our Cantonese restaurant on Wrottesley Street has the UK’s largest selection of Dim Sum - with over 100 selections - Chung Ying Central on Colmore Row has the closest thing you’ll ever find to a Dim Sum highlight reel, allowing you to sample the dumplings that our customers have loved the most over Chung Ying’s 38 year history. Whichever of our restaurants you visit, you and your clients will be able to create an ideal portfolio of flavour from our Dim Sum menus.

We are the number 1 destination in Birmingham for Dim Sum and many believe we have the best dim sum in Birmingham and possibly the best dim sum in the UK !

Chung Ying Cantonese, in Birmingham China Town, has been serving Dim Sum since 1981 and we offer the largest selection in the UK with 100 choices. You can view our dim sum menu here : https://www.chungying.co.uk/menus/chung-ying-cantonese-menu We are looking to expand our dim sum offering further in the next couple of months, increasing our selection to around 120 choices !

Dim Sum is traditionally prepared as scrumptious, bite sized portions of food, served in small steamer baskets or on small plates. It is traditionally served with tea, which is believed by many to provide multiple health benefits.

You may be familiar with Dim Sum of the deep fried variety already, but we thought we would give you a few recommendations for some of our most popular steamed dim sum. Our steamed dim sum are hand made by our talented dim sum chefs using recipes passed down and refined by different generations of Chung Ying dim sum masters. They are then placed in bamboo baskets and steamed to perfection. These baskets of steamed goodness provide for many a healthy lunch, but did you know you can also order our dim sum for breakfast? We open at 10am daily, so dim sum can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Above is one of our most popular dim sum, pork and prawn Siu Mai dumplings. A delectable mix of minced king prawns, pork and mushrooms, stuffed into a wonton pastry and steamed until the meat is juicy and aromatic. This dim sum, along with Har Gow (steamed king prawn dumplings) are what many consider as essential to any dim sum lunch. Customers often order these two dishes as soon as they sit down, before they even start looking at our dim sum menu. 

We are all excited about the upcoming celebrations for Chinese New Year. This is the longest and most anticipated celebration in the Chinese calendar and preparations are well underway here and all over China!

In China shops close and family race home to celebrate together. It is a time for clean, fresh starts. People get hair cuts and new clothes and clean their houses. New Year’s Eve brings fortune to children, as older family members give them special red envelopes containing money. A huge feast is served as family and friends sit together and eat favourite foods.

Veganism has recently taken the world by storm, fast becoming a lifestyle that is preferred by many as a way to do their bit for animals, the environment and their health. Whilst many might think veganism is a new trend, its popularity spans centuries and has been at the basis of many ancient civilisations. Chinese cuisine includes every day vegan staples such as tofu, soy, vegetables, seitan, rice and egg-free noodles, making it a go-to for many vegans and being the inspiration for T. Colin Campbell’s book, The China Study. If you have been to Chung Ying before you know we serve excellent Chinese dishes, but did you know we have a brand new ​vegan menu​?

Some of our most popular vegan options include:

Dumplings

Dumplings can be boiled, steamed or fried and when they contain vegetables they are a great vegan appetizer! Our new menu includes two types of vegan dumplings: Steamed Monk’s Dumplings, for the traditionalists, and Steamed Spicy Vegetable Dumplings, for those looking for some heat with their meal.

In Hong Kong, it’s traditional to wake up early (5am!) and go out for breakfast, enjoying delicious dishes such as dim sum, congee and noodles. Local people see this a great opportunity to socialise and talk about the day ahead. 

Now, we’re not suggesting that you come down to Chung Ying Cantonese at 5am (as we’ll definitely still be in bed!), but how about coming in between 10am-12pm to enjoy a touch of Hong Kong in Birmingham… 

In traditional Chinese culture, breakfast is an important meal, not just because of socialising but because it gives you a chance to balance your chi.