Part A Food Names

Yamcha Overview

  • Yamcha is a dining tradition that combines drinking tea and eating dim sum in Chinese culture.

  • Typically, tea is ordered first, setting the stage for the meal.

  • Waitstaff will inquire about the type of tea preferred by diners.

Popular Chinese Teas

Po Lei (Pu'er Tea)

  • Name: Po Lei (Pu'er Tea)

  • Type: Black tea, fermented.

  • Flavor Profile: Unique flavors such as sweet, smooth, earthy, smoky.

  • Appearance: Dark black color, similar to black coffee.

Henping (Jasmine Tea)

  • Name: Henping (Jasmine Tea)

  • Type: Scented green tea.

  • Flavor Profile: Slightly sweet, highly fragrant due to mixture of tea leaves and fragrant flowers.

Tea Service Tips

  • After the pot is empty, diners can self-pour their tea instead of calling for the waiter.

Dim Sum Overview

  • Term Definition: "Dim sum" refers to small dishes served in Yamcha, promoting sharing among diners.

  • Common presentation includes bamboo steamers or small plates.

  • Dim sum can be steamed, pan-fried, or deep-fried.

  • Ingredients typically include seafood, meat, and vegetables.

  • Categories of dim sum include dumplings, rolls, buns, cakes, and rice dishes.

Popular Dim Sums

Shrimp Dumpling (Har Gow)

  • Cantonese Name: "Ha Gao"

  • Description: Transparent, chewy skin; filled with fresh shrimp.

  • Significance: A key dish that reflects the skill of dim sum chefs.

Pork Dumpling (Siu Mai)

  • Cantonese Name: "Siu Mai"

  • Description: Round, yellow wrapper; filled with ground pork, shrimp, and mushrooms.

  • Decoration: Garnished with diced carrot or crab roe.

Steamed Chicken Feet (Feng Zao)

  • Cantonese Name: "Feng Zao"

  • Description: Chicken feet fried, braised, and simmered in sauce; tender and gelatinous texture.

Rice Noodle Rolls (Cheung Fun)

  • Cantonese Name: "Cheung Fun"

  • Description: Wide strips of rice noodles; filled with shrimp, beef or other ingredients; served with sweet soy sauce.

Spring Rolls (Chun Juan)

  • Cantonese Name: "Cheng Goon"

  • Description: Crisp wrapper filled with meat and vegetables, served with a dipping sauce.

Barbecue Pork Bun (Char Siu Bao)

  • Cantonese Name: "Cha Siu Bao"

  • Description: Soft, fluffy bun filled with savory, sweet barbecue pork.

Malay Sponge Cake (Ma Lai Go)

  • Cantonese Name: "Ma Lai Goh"

  • Description: Brown-yellow steamed cake made from flour, eggs, and lard; soft and sweet.

Chinese Radish Cake (Lo Ba Go)

  • Cantonese Name: "Luo Bo Gao"

  • Description: Made from rice flour and shredded radish, sliced and pan-fried to crispy perfection; commonly served during Chinese New Year.

Mini Steamed Sticky Rice in Lotus Leaf (Zhan Zhu Gai)

  • Cantonese Name: "Zhan Zhu Gai"

  • Description: Glutinous rice filled with meat; wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed.

Beef Meatballs (Ngau Yook Jiao)

  • Cantonese Name: "Ngau Yook Jiao"

  • Description: Juicy meatballs made from minced beef, served on dried beancurd skin.

Desserts

Sweet Red Bean Soup (Hong Dao Sha)

  • Cantonese Name: "Hongdao Sa"

  • Description: Made with red beans and sweetened with rock sugar; served hot or cold.

Tofu Pudding (Douhua)

  • Cantonese Name: "Douhua"

  • Description: Soft tofu served with syrup; melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Conclusion

  • Dim sum includes a wide variety of flavors (salty, sweet, fresh) and offers a unique culinary experience.

  • Encourages diners to explore different tastes and textures.