Dumplings 

When it comes to brunch, some will conjure up images of eggs Benedict and French toast. For me, however, brunch has always been synonymous with dim sum, a shareable feast of small dishes that typically takes place in a banquet hall bustling with energy and eating. A Southern Chinese tradition, dim sum (or dian xin in Mandarin) translates to “touch the heart,” derived from the Cantonese word for appetizer. It’s a mid-day meal of steamed, fried and baked specialties such as shu mai, sesame balls and egg tarts, all meant to be enjoyed as a group with cups of tea. Because the recipes often require unique skill and technique, dim sum is very much a craft, but one that, with a little time, patience and the right recipes can be learned at home. To start, try one of the most iconic dim sum dishes: har gow.

These plump dumplings are known for their bouncy, translucent skins and juicy shrimp filling. The beautiful delicate pleating is considered a sign of a dim sum chef’s skill, but fear not—a good recipe and a bit of practice can help you achieve dumpling greatness, too. Here, we use a baking soda soak to help keep the shrimp firm and use the traditional Chinese technique of combining boiling water with wheat starch to produce a chewy crystal skin.

From foodnetwork