Dim sum normally refers to little steamer baskets with 3-4 bite-sized delicious morsels in it, but beyond the food itself, dim sum is also a culture in itself. Linked with yumcha, it’s normally the act of getting together with friends and family over breakfast or brunch.

Though it’s not so much a fine dining affair, here in Singapore dim sum has morphed into a casual, on-the-go munchie or a late-night supper option, so dining in a chalau might seem intimidating. Fear not, here are some basic dim sum etiquette to save you from receiving death stares from locals in Hong Kong.

CHOPSTICKS

Perhaps though this seems like common sense, accidental faux pass still happens. From basic things to not leaving your chopsticks sticking out of your bowl, to leaving little bits of food stuck to your chopsticks before taking food from the general plate, these are all considered extremely impolite.

As much as possible, using serving chopsticks and spoons is preferred. Should chopsticks prove to be a hassle to use, it’s perfectly alright to request for a fork, rather than to spear your food with a chopstick.

DON’T OVER ORDER

As tempting as it is to order a lot of food, the name “dim sum” means to touch the heart, therefore portion sizes are small to better appreciate the flavour, rather than to spoil the appetite. It’s also much better to enjoy the food while it’s still hot, and rest assured should you still feel hungry, chances are there’s a dim sum trolley nearby.

HIERARCHY

Like any other Chinese setting, the elders take priority. When it comes to serving tea, it’s done so in the order of age before finally helping yourself to it, whereas when it comes to food, allow the turntable to turn towards the eldest first, before it rotates back to you.

HOARDING

As it’s considered impolite to hoard a dish to yourself, do make sure to ask everyone else if they’d like the last piece. Chances are no one would refuse you if you ask.

MANAGE EXPECTATIONS

When it comes to dim sum, there are many variations and whether you do it traditionally or with a little twist, no one can truly fault you. The Cantonese version focuses more on the freshness of the ingredients used, and how best to bring out the natural flavours.

Do try to reserve the need to add chilli and appreciate the flavour as the chef intended it to be. Only should you really need a kick, ask for their XO chilli instead of the regular sweet chilli.

SHOWING APPRECIATION

Instead of verbally thanking your fellow diners, you can show your appreciation by tapping the table with two slightly bent fingers. It’s not a sign to tell the pourer to hurry up, but rather represents the bent knees of a kowtow, and this practice dates back to olden Chinese dynasties.

TEA

If you’re out of tea, signal to the waters to top up on water by placing the lid on the handle and the side of the teapot. Should you find it difficult to balance the lid, feel free to place it on the plate the teapot is served on.

WAITERS

In certain places, orders are taken through dim sum trolleys, but in others, they’re very much like western restaurants where a server attends to your table. What’s different is that every table has their assigned waiter, and it’s best to keep track of who they are so you know who to turn to, rather than to call the manager over for a simple request of ice water.

WASHING UTENSILS

Though less so in Singapore, it’s very much prominent in Hong Kong to wash your utensils before you begin your meal. Cheap tea is provided for you to rinse and scrub your utensils with.

You do so by pouring a bit of tea over your chopsticks and spoon into your bowl and rubbing them a little, followed by turning your teacup on its side and scrubbing it in the bowl. A shared basin is provided to discard the used tea in.

Ever get confused with the different dumpling names as they are all either in Mandarin Chinese or in a Chinese dialect? We know, it can be pretty frustrating – especially when you are in-charge of ordering. We thought this beginner’s guide to the most commonly consumed dim sum in Asia will do you some good, and they include many of the more popular ones Hong Kong egg tarts to the well-loved Shanghai Xiao Long Baos.

It is actually pretty fun to dissect your dim sum (mentally, of course) and to know what each piece is made of, right? They may be of the simplest ingredients, but these exquisite bite-size delicacies are ever popular with the world for many reasons. We had so much fun understanding more about them as we put this guide together for you.

Feel at ease the next time you visit a dim sum restaurant with our Beginner’s Dim Sum Guide to 15 Essential Dim Sum You Must Try.

#1 SIEW MAI

A siew mai is essentially minced pork and/or prawn wrapped up in a thin sheet of lye water dough, only exposing the top side of the filling, and steamed until cooked before serving. The filling of this dumpling is traditionally mixed in with herbs and seasonings such as chives, soy sauce and sesame oil.

#2 HAR GAO

First introduced and created in Guangzhou, China, the Har Gao is a traditional Chinese steamed shrimp dumpling that features a translucent layer on the outer side to hold the inner filling of minced shrimp. This dim sum staple is usually served alongside the siew mai.

From traditional dim sum teahouses, to the cheapest Michelin Starred dim sum restaurants – here is our guide to Hong Kong’s Top 12 Dim Sum Restaurants.

#3 CHAR SIU BAO

The char siu bao is a freshly steamed bun that contains barbecued pork. The bun is traditionally made in two ways – steamed or baked. In Hong Kong, they created the char siu bo lo where the exterior is made with a crunchy pastry exterior instead of a bread bun. Either way, we love a good BBQ pork bun.

#4 EGG TART

Primarily served as the Hong Kong version in dim sum eateries, the Egg Tart is a popular choice as a dessert or snack around the world. This tart consists of egg custard cupped with a flaky pastry layer. In some instances, the custard is flavoured such as Pandan Egg Tarts or Bird’s Nest Egg Tarts.

#5 BAKED CHAR SIU SOU

Similar to the Char Siu Bo Lo buns but instead, wrapped up in a puff pastry exterior that is made with lard or shortening. The Char Siu inside may be cooked with extra flavours from shallots or various sauces for an enhanced taste.

#6 STEAMED GLUTINOUS RICE WRAPPED WITH LOTUS LEAF

Wrapped up in lotus leaf before steaming, the inside of this popular dim sum dish generally contains sticky rice, chicken, shiitake mushrooms and salted egg yolk. There are different variations of it around the world but this is the basic and most commonly used one.

#7 STEAMED CHICKEN FEET

Chicken feet are fried, the braised before steaming with black bean sauce to extract all the flavour into the skin surrounding the bones in the feet. The process is long, but the end result is a dim sum dish so flavourful that it is a crowd’s favourite in many Asian countries like Singapore and Hong Kong.

#8 STEAMED PORK RIBS

This dish is also made by steaming marinated small cubed pork ribs and steaming them with fermented black beans, chinese rice wine and a variety of other spices and ingredients. In some traditions, they are consumed alongside white rice and the pork ribs are saturated with juicy flavours after steaming for hours.

#9 GUO TIE

The guo tie or pot stickers are essentially pan-fried pork and chive dumplings. These dumplings are cooked by steaming first, then fried on only one-side to bring out the flavours of the fillings. Pot Stickers are traditionally eaten with ginger in vinegar sauce.

#10 FRIED CARROT/RADISH CAKE

Served in most dim sum restaurants, these cakes are made mainly with radish or carrot and steamed before pan frying for a crispy outer layer.

#11 BEANCURD ROLL

The inner pork filling is wrapped up in a layer of beancurd or tofu skin before either deep-frying or steaming it. In some variations, the beancurd roll can be filled with different ingredients such as fish paste or chicken instead.

#12 CHEONG FUN

Cheong Fun is a rice noodle roll originating from Hong Kong. There are various ways of serving this roll. In Singapore, it’s served simply with sweet sauce and chilli. The Hong Kong-style Cheong Fun is sometimes stuffed with minced barbecued pork or shrimp, and drenched in light soy sauce.

#13 SALTED EGG YOLK CUSTARD BUN

Runny salted egg yolk custard is housed inside a warm fluffy bun. There are also a few variations of this crowd-favourite bun – some use duck eggs and some use coconut milk inside the custard to enhance the overall flavour. The molten custard should flow out when you break the bun open, if served freshly steamed.

If we could only pick a kind of dim sum to live on, it would most definitely be the Salted Egg Yolk Custard Bun. Here is our guide to 13 Unbelievable Salted Egg Yolk Custard Buns (Liu Sha Bao) in Singapore.

#14 PRAWN ROLL

The prawn roll is usually served as a dim sum this way – prawn diced up and marinated before wrapping in tofu skin then deep-fried to a golden brown. More often than not, this crispy prawn roll is served with a mayonnaise dip.

#15 XIAO LONG BAO

As one of the most popular dim sum dumplings ever, this Shanghai-originated dish consists of a thin flour skin wrapping up minced pork with a rich pork broth. One bit into, the warm broth will rush out and you will have to sip it in quickly. The Xiao Long Bao is usually served with a side of sliced ginger and vinegar.

The next time your boss wants you to plan a corporate lunch, or you need an outlet to celebrate your Granny’s birthday, here are 31 of the best Chinese restaurants in Singapore.