It may seem odd for me to be writing about dim sum and featuring the secrets of a “how to” do dim sum at Christmas, but the fact is that for the past 10 years, my close family’s preference has been to go to Boston Chinatown on Christmas and then walk next door to the Multi-plex cinema to catch one or two movies. And believe me, my husband and son are DETERMINED to keep this ritual. First of all, Don hates turkey so for years, following another old Simonds’ family tradition, I made a huge lobster for friends with homemade cole slaw, my husband INSISTED on McDonald’s French fries (Don’t ask me why), stir-fried broccoli or oven-roasted vegetables, and a potato kugel,. Since our son didn’t eat lobster, coleslaw, or many vegetables I made macaroni and cheese. It was ridiculous and FINALLY, I cried “Uncle”. The only thing I REALLY wanted to eat was my Mom’s old recipe for a ritz cracker, garlic, kishke stuffing. It is the BEST!!
Gradually, as I got older, busier, and less complacent, I suggested the idea of getting dim sum. Everyone now loves it so much that last year, our friends were alone but they had prepared a whole beautiful turkey feast. Personally, I was dying to go, but Jesse and Don were adamant: They would NOT give up their dim sum ritual.
This video gives you a guide of how to do dim sum and what to order, BTW, my favorite dim sum restaurants these days in Boston are :He Leung Moon, near Beach Street and the Dumpling Café on Washington Street.
Eat superb steamed dumplings or exquisite French pastries? That is the decision you must make when you visit Yauatcha, Alan Yau’s amazing dim sum tea room in London.
Many may know Alan as the genius who created the Wagamama noodle bar (which he sold ages ago), or Hakkasan, the sexiest Chinese restaurant ever, and Besaba Eathai, his wonderful Thai restaurants. I’ve heard that Alan is taking a little break from the crazy world of running and creating new restaurants, I hear Yauatcha is still excellent.
What dish could be more appealing as the weather gets cooler than a plateful of crusty pot stickers??? See my easy recipe.
Among chefs, the name Alan Yau is synonymous with chic design and superb Asian food. His legendary restaurants, Hakkasan and Yauatcha, have both earned top honors and Michelin stars. He has extended his Hakkasan empire all over the world. (Look for the Hakkasan opening at the newly restored Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami in April.) On a trip to London, I was lucky enough to grab him for a very rare on-air interview.
Visit his restaurants if you are in London. They aren’t cheap, but worth it.
For those wondering how to prepare real Asian cuisine at home with a minimum of time an equipment, award-winning cookbook author and Asian food guru Nina Simonds has delicious answers. Read more
Nina Simonds is one of the country’s leading authorities on Asian cooking. She is the author of ten books on Chinese cuisine and culture, including the best-selling Asian Noodles and A Spoonful of Ginger, which won both the IACP and the James Beard Foundation Book Award for health.
No Comments Also found in: boston, Chinatown, chinese, christmas, dim sum, new years, nina simonds
