Hong Kong/Beijing —
The making of dim sum — the bite-sized delicacies hailing from southern China — is all about craftsmanship.
Take har gow, or shrimp dumplings, for example: finely chopped ingredients placed on translucent wheat starch wrappers, sealed with just the right amount of finger pressure to ensure they can hold up in the steamer but also don’t feel too starchy when eaten.
There’s also siu mai (pork dumplings topped with crab roe) and cheung fun (steamed rice rolls dipped in sweet soy sauce), which are served delicately in small bamboo steamer baskets and shared among diners like Spanish tapas.
Many dim sum fans would argue that the best are made…