“No, you’re folding it wrong,” Xiao Tie Ning told me, poking me in the ribs with a set of chopsticks, so that I completely squashed the little dumpling I was trying to fold. It was Chinese New Year and, though we were in small-town England, there was a carnival atmosphere in our little kitchen. There was a steady drumming sound coming from six cleavers slicing spring onions, potatoes, pork and chicken on six chopping boards, while bubbly Chinese pop music blasted from our television, tuned to the Chinese channel.

As the neighbours came to complain about the chopping noise, I watched my diminutive Chinese flatmate expertly fold the paper-thin rice skins around the vinegary mince, until they formed a neat little parcel. “See?” she asked. I nodded, I did see, though I didn’t have the faintest idea of how to replicate the feat.

Originally intended as a snack to accompany tea, the small steamed dumplings, baked rolls or other finger foods that comprise dim sum are now served as standard fare for breakfast and afternoon meals in Hong Kong and China. In South African restaurants, dim sum is popping up on more and more dinner menus. At Haiku, Chinese chef  Wendy Liang says that spinach dumplings are among the most popular of her dim sum. Along with other, more traditional options, Beluga put a local twist on its dim sum, serving dumplings with fillings such as spinach and cream cheese, salmon and cream cheese, and chicken and peppadew.

Whether you’re a devoted wonton fan, thousand-layer-cake enthusiast or just curious about the trend, try out one of these great local restaurants that serve dim sum.

Cape Town
Beluga
Haiku
Mainland China
O’Ways TeaCafé
Saigon
Sake House Restaurant & Sushi Bar
Tao Yuan Asian Restaurant
Tong Lok
Wafu (closed for renovations)
Wok This Way
Xiang Yuan

Johannesburg
Best of Asia
Kong Sing
Kong Tai
Kung-Fu Kitchen
Lai Lai Gardens
Orient
Shun Deck
So Yum

Pretoria
Guia
Jasmine Palace
Golden Butterfly (formerly Shen Zhou Chinese Dumpling Restaurant)
Wing Hin

Durban
China Plate
Ton Hoi
Yang Chinese

Eastern Cape
Shanghai (Beacon Bay)
Shanghai Quigney

By Katharine Jacobs, research Angelique Smith

Image: Courtesy Flickr Creative Commons