Empire Seafood Restaurant

CLASSIC HAR GOW: THE DIM SUM LITMUS TEST

Har gow is one of the most common – and popular – dim sum dumplings. It’s also the litmus test of a good kitchen. Ideally, the har gow skin should be thin, translucent, stretchy and slightly sticky. The dumpling should be stuffed tight with filling, not saggy. The shrimp should be plump, juicy, slightly crunchy and whole (if small) or hand-chopped (if large), but never minced.

ORDER LIKE A PRO

The dim sum rule of thumb is two baskets or dishes per person and one more for the table. Four people = nine dishes. Textural variety is important in Chinese cuisine so try to include a mix of fried, baked and steamed items. For a properly balanced lunch, pare the dim sum back to one basket per person, add stir-fried greens and a main meat or seafood dish. Still hungry? Order fried noodles or rice at the end.

DON’T SAVE DESSERT FOR LAST

There is no set order to eating dim sum. The dishes come out of the kitchen as soon as they’re ready. If you prefer to finish with something sweet, hold off on ordering all those delicious egg custard tarts and brown sugar sponge cakes.