Dim sum
点心 / 點心 · dim2 sam1 (jyutping)
Small shared dishes of dumplings, buns, rolls and cakes, traditionally eaten at brunch with tea and most associated with Cantonese cooking.
What it means
Dim sum is a broad range of small Chinese dishes, traditionally eaten in restaurants at brunch and shared across the table. Portions are small, often three or four pieces. The Cantonese term is written 點心, and Wikipedia glosses it as 'touch the heart'.
Most of what is called dim sum today belongs to Cantonese cuisine, although other regional cuisines have comparable small dishes. Typical items include steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow), pork-and-prawn siu mai, barbecued pork buns, rice noodle rolls, turnip cake and egg tarts. Items are steamed, pan-fried or deep-fried and often arrive in bamboo steamers.
Tea is part of the meal rather than a side drink. Taste describes the core of the tradition as a leisurely morning with tea, with food and conversation sharing the time. The meal as a whole is called yum cha. Sources disagree on how dim sum began, so this entry does not give an origin.
A common mix-up
Dim sum names the dishes; yum cha names the meal of tea and dim sum together.
Questions people ask
Is dim sum a type of dumpling?
No. Dim sum is a category of small dishes. Dumplings are one part of it, alongside buns, rice noodle rolls, cakes, savory meat dishes and desserts.
Is dim sum only served at brunch?
Traditionally it is a morning or brunch meal, and Wikipedia describes it that way. Hours at US restaurants vary, so check the restaurant's posted times before you go.
Sources & further reading
Background and preparation references. Our descriptions are editorial summaries, not restaurant reviews.