Delectable dim sum prove hard to resist

Features

Published: 12 Apr. 2006, 20:19

Delectable dim sum prove hard to resist

Walking around the food corner of Shinsegae Department Store often leaves me feeling anxious and greedy. My limited budget and weekly-renewed diet plans collide like tidal waves against the isles of excruciating temptations neatly arrayed in clear glass counters.
On a recent trip to temptation island, I couldn't help but give in to the smell of dim sum. I ordered a combination of shrimp shaomai, beef shaomai, shrimp and vegetable rolls and a large Szechuan-style dumpling from a booth run by the Asian Food Co. My mother had complained over the phone that she didn't want to cook dinner that day so I took the dim sum and some Chinese desserts home.

The dumpling was the size of two balled fists. The cooked dough was light and moist, unlike Korean street dumplings, which are often dry and crumbly. The filling, made from pork, green onions, mushrooms, clear noodles and onions, had a spicy “Szechuan” aftertaste.

The smaller treats were quite delectable as well, especially the shrimp shaomai with chunks of fresh, tender shrimp. The fillings for both the beef shaomai and the shrimp and vegetable roll were rather dry but the herbs (including coriander) made them fragrant.
After our late-night dim sum snack, we ripped open a pack of ginger egg roll cookies I bought from Yedaum (a counter in Shinsegae’s food corner that sells Chinese desserts from a company named Kee Wah Bakery Hong Kong) and made some jasmine tea. The cookies were light and fluffy, almost like well-made croissants. The slight ginger flavor complemented our dim sum meal to a tee. After the cookies, we tried a mooncake I had bought from the same store. Although neither of us are big fans of mooncake, we both liked the fact that this one was neither too sweet nor too heavy.

by Cho Jae-eun

A combination dumpling set of five dim sum is 6,000 won ($6). The large dumplings are 1,500 each. For more information, call (02) 1588-1234 or visit www.easianfood.co.kr.
A pack of 10 ginger egg roll cookies costs 3,500 won. Mini mooncakes are 5,000 won each. For more information, call (02) 1588-1234 or visit www.kee-wah.com.